


And They Were Quarantine Mates

by embarrassingresultofmyfreetime



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Doctor Who AU, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, It's exactly what it says on the tin, Love Confession, Other, Spydoc, Thoschei, Wholesome, adopting a robot pet together, can read in any order, enemies to friends to weird roommates to sort of falling in love all over again, enemies to weird roommates to oh no I might be falling for my best enemy again, quarantine au, soft Thoschei, stuck in the Tardis au, the Doctor absolutely can not cook and should not be allowed anywhere near a kitchen, the Doctor is ace and there's nothing you can do about it, the Master is a good cook
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:15:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 92,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25655749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/embarrassingresultofmyfreetime/pseuds/embarrassingresultofmyfreetime
Summary: An old disease has resurfaced on Earth- one which most humans recover from but is permanently lethal to Time Lords.Because of this, the Doctor stays on Earth to make sure her humans make it through okay.And because of the Doctor, the Master- against his better judgement- also chooses to stay.Reluctant to leave the safety of the Doctor's Tardis, the Doctor and the Master find plenty of ways to pass the time but it can be difficult to enjoy each other's company with so many things left unsaid.Good thing they have plenty of time in isolation to work it out.
Relationships: The Doctor & The Master (Doctor Who), The Doctor/The Master (Doctor Who), Thirteenth Doctor & The Master (Dhawan), Thirteenth Doctor/The Master (Dhawan)
Comments: 83
Kudos: 178





	1. Truce

**Author's Note:**

> Edit-as-I-go key for if you just want to read/find a certain chapter for whatever reason:
> 
> Ch 1 - Truce - The Doctor decides to stay on Earth and the Master decides to stay with her  
> Ch 2 - Breaking Bread - The Doctor is a terrible cook and the Master reluctantly agrees to help  
> Ch 3 - Far-Sighted - The Doctor and the Master spend the evening in the library and begin to warm up to each other  
> Ch 4 - Heated - The Tardis AC goes out so they decide to go to the pool before they kill each other  
> Ch 5 - Don't Piss Off The Designated Driver - The Master is up to something and the Tardis is not too happy about it  
> Ch 6 - Boiling Point - The Master isn't handling his boredom as well as he thought he could (angst)  
> Ch 7 - Companionship - The Doctor misses having a companion and it turns out the Master has been making something for her  
> Ch 8 - Oh No - The Doctor can't find her new friend and his disappearance reopens some old wounds  
> Ch 9 - Yellow, Purple, and the Space in between - The Doctor has no idea how to use nail polish, luckily the Master has plenty of experience (basically pure fluff, handholding, you get it)  
> Ch 10 - Mind+Games - Things are boring so the Doctor suggests she and the Master play hide and seek with their telepathic abilities. It's all fun and games... until it isn't. (both major fluff and major angst)  
> Ch 11 - Long Way Forward - The Doctor is excited about Halloween thanks to her companions. The Master has different ideas about Halloween, but he gives her a good idea about the next big holiday.  
> Ch 12 - Time Spent Together - The Doctor and the Master try out some human videogames (v short and 100% fluff)  
> Ch 13 - Residual Damage and Unrelenting Love - The Doctor and the Master run into each other at their weakest and end up with a better understanding of each other (hurt/comfort+angst+love confessions, roughly 10k)  
> Ch 14 - Understanding - Oh searches out the Master's help when the Doctor gets herself into trouble aboard her own ship  
> Ch 15 - Understanding p2 - The Master and the Doctor work together on upgrading Oh's systems and also ease into their new dynamic  
> Ch 16 - Contractually Obligated Halloween Special - The Master and the Doctor reveal their costumes, and it appears that great minds think alike  
> Ch 17 - Dress Up - The Master wears a dress one day, and the Doctor accepts his offer to try it on (fluff)  
> Ch 18 - Overwhelmed- The Master - When the Master gets overwhelmed he lashes out. (hurt/comfort, emotional, no injuries)  
> Ch 19 - Overwhelmed- The Doctor - When the Doctor gets overwhelmed she shuts down. (hurt/comfort, emotional, no injuries)  
> Ch 20 - Change - The Doctor and the Master reflect on what's changed and what hasn't. Also they have a lil picnic  
> Ch 21 - The Day the Stars Align - The Master remembers the Doctor's birthday and makes her cupcakes. The Doctor suggests a new holiday to include them both (short, fluff)  
> Ch 22 - Snow Day - The Master and the Doctor wake up to the first heavy snowfall of the season. They're both excited to enjoy it for very different reasons, but they always have the most fun whenever they're together. (pure fluff, ancient time lords are reduced to children at the sight of snow lol)  
> Ch 23 - The Friend of My Best Enemy is… My Friend? - The Master accidentally intercepts a video call from one of the Doctor's human friends and ends up having an interesting chat with Yaz about family. (heavy topics, but mostly wholesome)  
> Ch 24, 25, 26 - Holidays with Family - The fam stop over to visit for the holidays!  
> The Doctor is elated to see them again, the Master is unsure how to interact with them, and it wouldn't be a holiday with the Doctor without something going wrong!  
> Ch 27 - New Year, Same Old Job Protecting Earth - Some aliens decide to invade Earth on New Years Eve. The Doctor and the Master exaggerate a few small details to convince them to reconsider.  
> Ch 28 - Quiet Times - The Master gets some rest in the safest, most comfortable place he's ever known. (short, fluff)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated T for: mentions of death, big feelings, mild swearing (on occasion)  
> 

"Doctor, what's wrong? Even your human friends have been frantic-" The Master began nonchalantly as he entered the Doctor's Tardis for the first time in ages.

"Stay back!" The Doctor immediately shouted in return, her sharp words muffled by the welder's mask covering her face. She held up her hands, palms out to the Master.

"Don't touch anything! Don't even move! Just stay right there!"

The Master stared at the Doctor, unimpressed and unwilling to play along with whatever drama his old friend was wrapped up in this time. He took a small half-step.

"Really, dear. What could be so-"

"It's- What's the translation?" The Doctor tried to explain frantically, "We called it sun-spot back home!"

The Master immediately froze. His heel stopped in place and his blood ran ice cold.

"The disease that made you feel like your hearts were crushing your lungs?" The Master asked for clarification.

The Doctor waved frantically, "Yes! That! The Tardis is safe, I've run plenty of scans to be sure, but I can't have you bringing it in here!"

"I walked here directly from my Tardis!" The Master promised, holding up his open hands to demonstrate that he had nothing to hide,

"I haven't even seen a human since I got here."

"Good!" The Doctor exclaimed. She rushed to her console and ran a scan of the Master. He rolled his eyes but didn't try to stop her.

If the disease the Doctor seemed convinced was really here on Earth, in the 21st century, among the humans, then even the Master was rightfully terrified enough to comply. Many species were fine, even immune if the disease ever swept through their planet- but not Time Lords. Presumably, Time Lords had some genetic fault, some change that made them especially susceptible to carrying and/or quickly dying from this disease.

There was no 12 lives rule that applied when the disease broke down your body beyond the ability to repair. The stories go that even those who had remaining regenerations would still die, sometimes all the remainder of their deaths at once.

Imagine the pain of suffocating to death... now think of it compounded times 12 or so. You can't.

There's no way of knowing what it would feel like, but a single death sounds bad enough. No one in their right mind would want to join the club of finding out what a dozen at once feels like.

"You're clean," the Doctor sighed heavily with relief. Still, she looked over the monitor once more, as if not completely convinced.

The Master hadn't even realized he had stopped breathing until he suddenly pulled in a large breath of relief. He lowered his hands and stuck them into his pockets. He still felt... uneasy. Like there was still some possibility that he was contaminated. It couldn't be, because the Tardis said as much, but the realization that he had been so close without even knowing was too haunting to fade away anytime soon.

"You're sure?" The Master questioned, skeptically.

"I've run it four times, it says you're fine," the Doctor promised, despite the hint of worry stuck in her throat.

The Master nodded and it was only when the Doctor pulled off the helmet and he saw her nervous face shift into a smile that he moved inward from the entrance.

"How did it get all the way out here?" The Master exclaimed, still a little shaken with disbelief. It was like being forced into an old nightmare suddenly brought to life.

The Doctor kept herself steadied against her console for a long moment before pushing away and rocking back on her heels.

The pair wandered about the console for a long moment, stepping about the circle in opposite directions. They both knew the other was evaluating this situation deeply. They continued to mirror each other until several minutes had passed and, finally, they spoke again.

"I have no idea," the Doctor sighed before attempting to curve it into a half-hearted joke, "but we both know I didn't pay much attention in school."

"That's an understatement," the Master agreed with the same subtle jest in his voice.

Normally they would laugh or at least smile at any reference to simpler times. However, their current situation was anything but normal.

"Has it gone airborn yet?" The Master questioned.

" _Thankfully_ no. Not yet at least. Hopefully never," the Doctor quickly assured him.

The Master nodded as their dance caused them to brush past each other. Normally they would never do that either, but there was something grounding in feeling another's presence, another who understood the gravity of this situation.

They should... get out of here.... Right?

But then, why was the Doctor's Tardis still here for the Master to find.

"What do you plan to do?" The Master asked.

He already had numerous theories but- for once- he hoped he was wrong.

"I'm... going to stay," the Doctor said.

The Master growled and pushed his face into his hands. This was absolutely the last place she should be! She would have better luck surviving the black plague.

"I have a lot of human friends in this century!" The Doctor reasoned with a sharp worry lining her words, "I can't just leave! Not knowing when it's safe to come back, or- what if one of them gets sick while I'm gone! A lot of humans have survived it, more than the Time Lords ever did- resilient as always- but what if- I can't just LEAVE!"

The Doctor let loose an even louder noise, something that would have been a yell if not for the fact that it was stuck in her throat. She tossed her head up and pushed her palms and fingers to either side of her head.

"I can't go see them either! And Yaz called but I can't- I don't want to scare her- I can't tell her what it can do to me- and YOU! You can't go back out there!"

She tossed her hands out in an aggressive gesture, unable to keep her anger in check for once.

The Master stopped his own worries for just a moment to watch her performance. The Doctor always was a curious case, but somehow this was different. The Master was scared, dare he say terrified, and yet the Doctor... how long had she already been sitting in here? Alone? Terrified out of her mind? Unable to decide if she should get the hell out of dodge and risk her friends dying without her, or stay stuck in this box and live phone call to phone call?

No wonder she was barely composed.

"I can't go check on them but I-" the Doctor continued almost frantic with frustration, "-I don't want to just... speed through this bit! If I take my eyes off them for just a moment they could disappear and I- If I leave for a month they could be gone by the time I get back! And I shouldn't interfere but- If they do get sick- Maybe I can figure something out! Bring them here and keep them stable for longer I- _I don't know what to do, alright?!_ "

The Doctor suddenly burst out. Her shout echoed from the walls for a brief flicker of time before bouncing back to hit her at full force.

The Doctor's eyes widened and she fell silent. She turned away, sat down, pulled her knees to her chest and pulled her fists to her face in shame.

The Doctor always hated lashing out. The Master used to think it a weakness, but the truth was that the Doctor's own rage was also one of their own greatest fears. The Master loved control, and the Doctor was scared of losing it.

However this time, there was nothing for _either_ of them to control. A Master with no power to gain, and a Doctor powerless to save anyone. For once, they found themselves quite literally stuck on the same ship.

The Master took a long deep breath.

He didn't want to be stuck here. He'd prefer almost anything else actually. However, _leaving_ the safety of the Tardis and risk somehow picking up the disease on the way back to his own Tardis sounded a WORLD more terrifying.

Reluctantly, he realized he would have to choose the lesser of two evils for the time being.

The Master couldn't even remember the last time he and the Doctor had agreed on a truce but... now felt as good a time as there might ever be.

"Alright," the Master sat down on the step next to her.

The Doctor glanced up at him. There were tears in her eyes, but not enough to fall yet. The shock of it was still too new to properly reach her yet. This outburst was at the thought of losing her friends the same terrifying way she had heard of others losing their lives back home. This would clearly be a marathon, so no reason to burn up fuel so early on in the race.

"Alright... what?" The Doctor asked more softly than the Master was used to.

The Master took another breath. He knew what to say, but the words caught in his chest. He really didn't want to say them, but he would clearly have to.

"Stay here," he agreed, however much he hated it, "check up regularly on your humans. It's that- or one of them dies and you come back in a year and then I have to hear you whine about the time streams and whatever nonsense all over again. And no one wants that."

He paused for a moment to collect his thought,

"And... it looks like I'll be stuck here too,"

the Master glanced around, "Just my luck."

"Stay here?" The Doctor asked curiously, momentarily forgetting her sorrows.

"Well I'm not dying by some disease. That's just a disappointing way to go. Candidly, I deserve better," he only half-joked on behalf of his pride.

That brought a ghost of a smile to the Doctor's face.

"You... won't mind?" She asked.

"Oh I mind. I'm sure it'll be hell. But what's a year or so in the grand scheme of things. I've been through a lot worse for less."

The Master tried to force his own acceptance for the situation, but it was all happening so quickly. This terrifying disease, the knowledge that if it reached either of them no one would be able to help- it was difficult to acknowledge, let alone accept. He would have to revisit the strange rush of emotions later, probably never.

"Truce?" The Doctor asked, offering out a hand.

The Master was secretly thankful she had asked first. He always hated bringing it up.

He firmly shook her hand with a small but tired smile on his face.

He already knew what would happen. He knew they would get absolutely sick of each other by the end of this. And yet, he couldn't think of anyone he'd rather be stuck with.

"Truce."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I stared this when the actual weight of this madness hit me and I continued writing little stories with this premise whenever I was really upset and it actually helped me work through things.  
> So- although this is something of a personal log for myself- I figured there was no harm in sharing it and maybe it can help someone else work through their own emotions as well?  
> Idk but remember that you're not alone in this! Things WILL get better. I'm not giving up until they do and neither should you!! Stay safe and stay strong, friends.


	2. Breaking Bread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor is incapable of cooking and the Master is no prodigy, but together, they might be stubborn enough to figure it out.

"You _need_ to give up!" The Master berated the Doctor from where he was leaning against the nearest doorframe with his arms crossed.

He was lingering outside the kitchen, just far enough away to avoid the bitter taste of burning that filled the room as the Doctor's second attempt of the day casually caught fire.

She was trying to cook bread, the Master surmised from the fact that the Doctor's _first_ attempt had almost smelled good before becoming the burnt mess now cooling on a pan near the sink.

Baking was something one of her human friends must have suggested- a human who, the Master knew, had never seen the Doctor bake before.

The Master knew this for certain because if they ever _had_ suffered the unfortunate experience that is the Doctor's cooking, then they would have known better than to suggest it at all.

"Yaz sent me this recipe. She said it's really simple and delicious! I'm sure she's right. I'll get it eventually!"

The Master's eyes flickered to the smoke drifting out of the oven vent over the Doctor's left shoulder. He had no doubt its source was the Doctor's second attempt to match her first.

The Master very simply lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No, just-" he let out a heavy breath through his lips and let his head fall against the wall with a loud thud.

He _hated_ the smell of burning. He couldn't STAND it anymore, and especially not in such a closed off structure such as this.

Burning down a messed up empire that tortured you and your closest friend in unspeakable mental and physical capacity was one thing.

Being trapped in these narrow halls, constantly having to tell yourself it wasn't going to go up in flames and collapse on you, was certaintly another.

He wasn't going to help the Doctor. The Master took care of himself and no one else, like always.

And yet he couldn't think of a better way to put an end to the horrendous smell than to get involved himself.

"Well I have plenty more ingredients. I'm sure at some point I'll figure out the right mixture and... you know... remember to set a timer! But I have time! It's not like I have anything better to do anyways."

The Doctor grinned, but the Master could feel her disappointment. She always needed to be doing something, just like how she was always running. Always going to a new task and never sitting still.

He should have known she would be as stubborn as always.

"Fine!" He finally snapped. His right hand cut through the air in a sharp motion before he closed it into a tight fist. The smoky haze was really getting to him and he had to compose himself for a moment before he continued,

"I'll help you with ONE more attempt," he said firmly, "and then you give this up. Deal?"

The Doctor glanced down at the sticky mess she'd made and then looked back to the Master.

He gave a small nod.

At her agreement, the Master stomped over and pulled out the flour-covered page the Doctor had written the instructions on. He shook the page in an animated gesture and squinted down at it. It was all stained and the messy writing was almost painful to decipher. A doctor's handwriting indeed.

After a brief second of realizing that he couldn't read it, he pushed it into the Doctor's hands and turned his attention to the raw ingredients stacked in a semicircle in front of them.

"Tell me what it says. And actually read the _measurements_ for once!"

"It's bread! It doesn't have to be exact!" The Doctor defended.

"Well it would _taste_ more exact if you weren't completely ruining the ratio of ingredients!" The Master countered.

The Master then turned off the oven the Doctor had burnt everything in and pulled out the ruined second attempt. He shoved it directly into the incinerator- the disgusting black brick and the pan along with it. The first attempt soon joined it, and then the Master halfheartedly cleared the counter top so they could start over again.

Once everything was together and the smoky smell was dissipating, the Master crossed the room to turn on a different oven.

The Tardis kitchen was meant to feed a crew after all- not a room for Time Lords failing at baking in. There was more than enough equipment at their disposal to make one measily loaf of bread.

"It's-" the Master began to explain after the mess was cleaned up and he'd regained his temper,

"It's like chemistry. You mess up too many components and the whole product will be messed up!"

"I... I forget-" the Doctor admitted with a small sigh, despite how much she didn't want to show weakness, "-what I put in and what I didn't. What I meant to do but then realize I forgot. I don't mean to but it all gets... scrambled."

The Master nodded. He wasn't surprised but he also wasn't quite sure how to reply. The Doctor was the comforting type, not him. He couldn't think of a better way to respond than by continuing as if she'd said nothing.

"Alright. Well," the Master threw the oven mitts across the room to the opposite counter.

Two of the greatest, smartest, most creative Time Lords in existence- the only two left in existence- and all they had to do was bake some bread. You would think it would be simple enough.

"It's... fine," the Master finally decided, "We'll start over. You read it, and I'll measure it, and then you can mix them all- since I've seen from your last attempts that measuring isn't your strong suit."

"You can't add the ingredients in this order though," the Doctor explained before adding proudly, "I learned that after my first attempt!"

"Do you not have the step by step instructions?"

The Doctor simply scoffed.

"Thousands of years of experience on Earth, I think I can figure it out."

"You would _think_ ," the Master mocked under his breath.

"Just cross the ingredients off as we add them. We'll mix all the dry ingredients first. That's how you bake plenty of other things so... it'll probably work."

The Doctor chuckled a little at that.

Surprisingly, their task-focused minds worked quite well together on the simple project. The Master measured things out and set them up for the Doctor to add. The Doctor managed most of the mixing and the fun bit of beating up the dough with her fists. And most importantly, the Master succeeded in preventing the Doctor from adding any 'special flavors' she wrongfully attempted to include.

It wasn't too long before the Doctor put the new dough was in the oven and the Master set a timer.

The Master reluctantly helped clean up the mess they had made while they waited.

"Thank you," the Doctor said, completely unprompted.

Caught off guard, the Master held his tongue and turned away.

At the Master's silence, the Doctor continued as if there wasn't a deeper meaning in her words,

"I would have been in here all night if not for you."

The Master didn't return her fondness.

"Means to an end," he replied flatly as he swept up a mess of flour that had been knocked from the counter and spilled across the floor.

Honestly, the Master hadn't minded the simple task. He and the Doctor were both stubborn enough that when they succeeded in working together, there were very few things they couldn't do. It also wasn't the worse distraction to take his mind of the daunting fact that he was stuck there for an unknowable amount if time- but the Master would never admit any of that. There was too much built up resentment between them to act as if this truce could last.

While the Doctor finished putting away the ingredients, the Master watched the timer carefully. He pulled around one of the stools and the Doctor soon followed in suit.

Once the alarm finally rang, the Doctor leapt up and grabbed the oven mitts to pull out the pan.

"Looks like third time really is a charm!"

"Yes, I'm sure it has nothing to do with my involvement," the Master quipped with a small smile.

The Doctor set the pan on the counter and impatiently waited while it cooled off. She grabbed some plates and butter and a few containers of jam she had hidden away.

"This reminds me of when we used to steal from the Academy kitchen," she suddenly chuckled.

It took the Master a moment to realize what she was referring to. It had been a _long_ time since he'd thought about those days. Still, when he had finally retrieved the fragment of memory, it flooded his chest with a warm reminiscent feeling. Back when the air smelled different and the world wasn't any better, but was certainly more straightforward.

The Master's lips cracked into a smile.

"That certainly was a rush back then, wasn't it?" The Master smiled fondly,

"Stealing just for the thrill."

"I was hungry!" The Doctor defended innocently.

"You were a show off," the Master laughed.

The Doctor didn't try to deny it, a wide grin taking hold of her face.

"It was fun. If not terrifying."

"Definitely terrifying," the Master agreed wholeheartedly.

Evenings sneaking out of their separate rooms, the Doctor with a container of the finest jam-equivalent in their hands that she'd stolen on a dare while the Master brought the extra rolls he'd taken at dinner to meet up in the tall grass on the red hillsides- perfectly hidden away from the society they were trapped in but able to look out at the vast night sky and promise each other that once they could get off this dust heap, they would go see each and every star together-

The Master shook the memory away. He wouldn't open that old box again. He couldn't bare the weight of it if he did.

His smile fadded.

The Master stood up and paused.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said simply.

"It'll be cooled down in just a moment!" The Doctor assured him, her own smile falling suddenly.

The Master shook his head.

"Goodnight, Doctor."

His eyes flickered up to her one last time as he turned for the door but fell away a second later. The Doctor's eyes stayed locked on him as he left the room, he could feel it, but she didn't try to stop him.

"I... Goodnight," was all she said.

The Master left, and the Doctor was left alone in the kitchen that suddenly felt too big. She cut herself a piece and smeared some of her favorite jam on it, but it never tasted as good alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't actually know how to make bread tbh but a pal of mine suggested this prompt so I wrote it anyways lol


	3. Far-Sighted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor wants company, the Master wants to read, and neither are having much luck with either.  
> Luckily, they have each other to fill in the gaps.

"Take a walk with me?" The Doctor asked with a cheerful grin as she ducked her head into the dark room the Master had claimed for himself.

He sat alone on the bed in the dim lighting, reading an old and somewhat dull book that really wasn't worth finishing.

Still. The Master would rather do anything other than listen to the Doctor.

"No, thank you," the Master hummed.

Today had started the same as many other days and- akin to the many other days before it- he wished this one would end quickly.

It was one of those days where nothing felt worth doing and so he would rather get to the next one as quickly as possible.

"Oh, come on!" The Doctor's hands dropped loudly against her blue trousers.

"You've been in there forever. If that was me, I'd have gone mad by now!"

The Master didn't take the bait. He refused to be reduced to the role of a human companion: an audience or worse, an emotional support animal- as the Master saw it.

"I lived alone in the outback for decades and patiently relived nearly the entirety of the 21st century day by painful day," he hissed, "I can sit in here for a few weeks if I want."

The Doctor sighed and her entire body moved with her as she tossed her head back for a long moment.

"Please?" The Doctor finally pleaded.

"I have no one else to talk to- well, apart from the fam, but they probably won't for at least another few days. They've been doing great- well... not _great_ , but considering what's happening out there at least they're all healthy and safe so far and-"

"I don't care," the Master hissed through his teeth.

The truth was that he did care, if only for strictly selfish reasons. If the humans were healthy, then the Doctor would stay put, and if she stayed safe, then the Master wouldn't have to worry nearly as much. It was simply beneficial for everyone to stay safe, is all. But he would never admit it.

The Doctor sighed.

"Just for a bit? Please? I'm going to the library on the 6th floor. Come with me?"

The Master's eyebrows raised slightly at the suggestion.

He had several books tossed on a shelf to his left but none that were good enough to take his mind off reality.

There was no doubt he could use a short walk to go pick out a few new ones.

"Oh, alright," the Master finally declared.

He slid from the soft mattress, discarded the disappointing book aside on a nearby table, and exited the room in a swift combination of movements.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets as the Doctor beamed away.

The Doctor spent most of the trip over explaining- in almost agonizing detail- her chats with her humans.

The Master really had no interest, but even he wasn't heartless enough to stop her. The Doctor respected his stay aboard her Tardis- apart from the one or two times he had taken pieces out for a side project- and so he felt the least he could do was hear her out.

In fact, he found her voice to be quite pleasant this time around and he couldn't help the way his hearts fluttered to see her so happy, especially during this difficult time for her.

It also helped that, as he listened, he found a few of her tales quite interesting. Apparently the humans out there were finding some creative ways of getting by and even more creative ways of passing the time.

So adaptable, just like the Doctor always said.

The Master had a feeling she was purposefully sparing him from hearing the worst of it. He had heard a few things from when the Doctor had been on a call. Things about Yaz wondering what to do about her job as a police officer. About Ryan's factory job being an essential business- but one that wasn't taking precautions the way it should for the safety of its workers. About Graham, an older gentleman and a cancer survivor, trying to stay at home as much as possible. The Doctor was scared for them, no doubt. But she focused on Yaz's cooking recipes and Ryan's video game suggestions and Graham's book recommendations.

The Master thought about calling her out on it, but he didn't have the hearts.

Eventually the pair made it up to the library. It was the biggest one on the ship, they were fairly confident. Or at least, the biggest one they'd found so far.

It had big outdated couches and benches to sit on and ladders that slide about the taller shelves along the grand walls. Both shelves and furniture were trimmed in a golden accent, as well were the little colorful reading lights that sat on the tables near the back of the room.

The Doctor spent a good several minutes looking for a certain novel Graham had suggested for her before intruding on something the Master was skimming.

"Why do you do that when you read?"

The Master shut the book in his hand with a heavy but dull thud.

"Like what?" He hissed.

The Doctor didn't acknowledge his annoyed tone as she elaborated bluntly,

"All... squinty. You did that when we were baking too."

"You're writing is atrocious," the Master dismissed her evidence.

"And your writing is always all big and bubbly. Probably so you can see it better. Do you need glasses?"

"No." The Master said immediately. He turned away and pretended to look for another book. It didn't help that he couldn't see the titles along their spines quite right either.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," the Doctor shrugged, "we can go look in the wardrobe if you want-"

"No." The Master repeated firmly.

In actuality, he knew she was right.

The Master quite liked this form but it certainly had a few 'weaknesses'. It often displayed his emotion clearer than he would like, which unfortunately could make him quite easy to read. His hands shook wildly when he was upset, a problem he'd never had before. And now his eyesight was going. Every new form had certain ups and downs, but the eyesight breaking down after decades upon decades of wear and tear was unbelievably annoying. Not to mention, unprecedented. He could only chalk it up to residual damage after years of blinding lights and chemicals sprayed in his face.

He carried on pretending to read the blurry titles until the Doctor disappeared. He glanced around to make sure she couldn't see him- presumably having disappeared deeper into the library- before continuing to squint down at the pages once more.

It was frustrating, but usually if he could look at it just right he could manage.

He was on his fifth or so attempt at finding a decent book when the Doctor reappeared and set a book down over the one open in the Master's hands.

"Graham thought you might like this one!" The Master could hear the pride in the Doctor's voice as he glanced it over its cover.

"Graham? Your human friend?" The Master checked, as if there was any doubt. He was mostly just surprised.

"Yeah!" The Doctor explained as if it was nothing,

"I told them... well.... I mentioned you helping me with the bread when I was talking to them about Yaz's recipe because they didn't think I could make it without burning it either," she chuckled briefly, "and then I explained that you were worried and were sticking around for a while-"

"I wasn't worried," the Master scoffed.

He glanced over, ready to defend himself against the very idea of having sympathy, but the Doctor looked so sad that it threw him off.

"Right," the Doctor's eyes fell away.

The Master faltered.

"It's just... at the time I though, after all this time a human disease would be such a stupid way to go out."

It didn't really provide any clearity, but he pretended it did.

The Doctor's lips pulled back into a smile, "Yeah. So anyways. I ended up talking to Graham on the phone later that day and-"

She smiled at something but didn't share why.

"-he thought you might like that one. Some really gruesome murders, he said."

The Master smiled a little. He opened the cover and let the text find its way into focus.

Suddenly the Doctor was standing before him, on the other side of the books in his hands, and gently slid a pair of glasses over his face. The Master's eyes widened and his expression relaxed as he suddenly watched the characters on the pages sharpen.

The Master looked up in surprise to see the Doctor smiling away. A smile that... he could suddenly see so much better. Every strand of her golden hair, all the cheerful little lines on her face, the color in her eyes. The Doctor was breathtaking.

"Looks good, huh?" The Doctor chuckled.

She adjusted them on his face for a brief moment but the Master's eyes stayed locked onto her now-clear features.

"I had the Tardis scan you- sorry- and whipped these up for you accordingly. It should give you back 20/20."

The Master nodded, a sudden warmth toasting his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

"Right...." he said.

All this time, and he hadn't even realized how bad his sight had gotten until that very moment.

"Thank you," he said suddenly.

That made the Doctor grin, all childish and foolish. An expression that had looked more or less the same over her last several regenerations.

"I'm glad you like them. You look pretty good. They're just black frames, but that way they'll match anything I guess," the Doctor continued.

"And you know a lot about fashion, do you?" The Master jested in return.

It only made the Doctor's smile grow wider.

"I like to think so."

A soft breath huffed from the Master's nose before he glanced down at the book again. He supposed his search was over.

"I think I'll stay here for a bit," the Master said, making his way over to one of the nearby couches with the two books in his hands, "It's a nice change in scenery to be honest."

The Doctor sat down next to him.

"I suppose it is," she agreed. "You'll have to tell me if Graham was right."

"Yes, I suppose we'll see," the Master said gently.

Once he was settled and the other book was discarded on a nearby table, he opened up the recommendation. He skipped through the dedication page, the table of contents, and the author prologue before starting at the beginning of the first chapter.

The Doctor looked for something for herself for so long that the Master got through the first two chapters without a problem. It also helped that without diverting so much unnecessary energy to interpreting the characters, he could absorb the information much more efficiently.

The Doctor started a few books, but didn't get very far without swapping to a different one every time she got fidgety.

She never could sit still for long.

Eventually she disappeared and subsequently returned with headphones, some wire, and a knife. She wordlessly sat herself down next to the Master and turned on an audiobook to listen to instead. While she listened to the recording, the Master listened to her quietly strip wire for Tardis repairs.

It must've been a silent half hour or so before the Doctor finally shifted herself closer, dipping her metaphorical toe in to test the Master's response so to speak.

The Master pretended not to notice as he leaned against the arm of the couch and continued to read.

Inch by inch, the Doctor moved closer until her body rested against his own. The Master forgot to process the words on the page as he felt the Doctor's warmth sink into his skin as she pressed against him.

After so long alone, he found it surprisingly welcoming to feel the grounding pressure of her against his side. He spared her a small glance to find that her back against his left arm like he was the back of a chair while her ankles reached the left arm of the couch.

Even as the day drifted into the evening and they heard a gentle evening storm patter against the Tardis roof, neither drew attention to it. Not even as the Doctor got bits of plastic coating all over the floor as she finished her work and eventually settled her head down on the Master's lap for a nap.

Whatever book she had been listening to lulled her asleep, the Master's thigh as her pillow, and the Master could do little more than continue reading.

He supposed the Doctor's human friend had been right. The book had plenty of wonderful, clever, well-researched murders and mysteries about the culprit responsible. Then again, his judgement was biased as he felt the Doctor's calm body fall lax into a rhythm and her chest rose and fell with each gentle breath.

It was almost funny to watch. The Doctor, someone who could never stay put, never sit still, and yet she layed there, stuck here, all because she cared so much about her friends.

Eventually, he set the book down on the side table and leaned his head back against the couch. He ought to wake her up before he joined her and they awoke tomorrow with aching bodies.

"Doctor?" He whispered, "We ought to go to bed."

"Yeah. Bed." The Doctor hummed, not opening her eyes.

The Master gently lifted her head, slid himself up from the couch, and let her head fall down onto the cushion. He stretched for a moment before turning to her once more and leaning down.

"Come on, I don't want to listen to you complain tomorrow."

The Doctor's eyes cracked open and her face immediately stretched into a wide grin, "Awe, you look so pretty," she hummed.

The Master rolled his eyes. And here he had almost forgotten about the glasses for a moment.

"Come on," he pulled her up.

With great annoyance, she pulled herself up and held tightly to the Master's hand as he led them from the library.

"Did you like the book?" She asked, still barely opening her eyes as they walked.

"Yes, dear," the Master said softly. She probably wouldn't even remember this in the morning.

"Dear," the Doctor said quietly. "I'm not much of a dear anymore. I guess I'm... a doe? That's a female deer right? But a male deer is a stag so... hold on that doesn't make any sense."

The Master chuckled, "It's a term of endearment."

The Doctor chuckled sleepily, "In-deer-ment."

The Master opened the door to one of the bedrooms next door. It would do for now.

"Here you are, I'll see you-" the Master attempted to say goodnight.

Instead, the Doctor dragged him by the hand and pulled him down after her as she sat down. The Master stumbled, nearly falling onto her but narrowly avoiding it as his hand caught the headboard.

"Come on," the Doctor hummed as she tossed herself across the bed, "Sleepover. Like when we were kids."

The Master sighed but eventually settled himself down next to her. He was too tired to make the whole trip back to his own room anyways.

The Doctor quickly fell asleep with the Master's fingers interlocked in her own.

The Master pulled off his glasses and set them on the nightstand before letting his head settle onto the pillow next to her. The weight of sleep soon pulled him under with ease as the company of the Doctor's grounding touch lulled him into a comforting feeling of security. For once, he didn’t bother to worry about the future as he drifted off.

It was the best sleep they'd had since this whole mess started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just think the Master would look good in some frames, is that so wrong? I blame tumblr for giving me the idea
> 
> Also- sidebar- I think more characters should wear glasses. Not just scientists and shut ins but A Wide Variety of characters! Why is wearing glasses not normalized yet? A lot of people need them to see and glasses aren't inherently 'unattractive' or whatever it is so many people seem to think. A lot of people need them and you are NOT any less attractive for wearing them! They're just some metal and plastic and glass that allows you to continue about your life without putting glass in your eye. Can the world please accept that? I know it's not the most pressing issue rn but I can't believe it's not a normal thing in media yet. But anyways that's neither here nor there.  
> I digress.
> 
> Have a good day/night folks


	4. Heated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tardis overheats. The Master has been stealing supplies. It's been a long couple months and they need to defuse the situation before they kill each other.

"If this is your doing, I'm going to actually, properly kill you!" The Master shouted properly for the first time in months. His strong voice echoed sharply about the hall before dropping off as he entered the main console room.

The room was sweltering- to put it mildly. The heat was so thick in the air that every breath left their mouths dry and their bodies dripping with sweat.

The problem had begun early that morning and had only escalated with each passing hour. By the time the Doctor had realized the extent of the issue; the temperature had become near unbearable in the console room.

She had been diagnosing the issue for hours to no avail by the time the Master had bothered to show up, so suffice it to say she had very little patience left for his temper.

"Me?!" The Doctor snapped just as harshly as the Master had.

Her gaze snapped up to him from where she was working on a section of exposed electronics pulled up from beneath the floor, far too exasperated by it all to bother acting polite.

She pulled a plastic bin from a small cart on wheels resting nearby and threw it in his direction. The empty drawer landed at the Master's feet with a dull, hollow thud.

"You're the one who used all the backup energy converters!" the Doctor accused him bluntly.

"You don't use energy converters for air conditioning!" the Master reasoned without bothering to defend himself.

He was sweating so profusely that his styled hair had fallen flat and sweat persistently dripped down his neck no matter how often he wiped it away.

"You do on my ship!" The Doctor snapped just as irritably, "I had to rewire it after being unable to find a suitable replacement part _last_ time it broke!"

The Master ran his sweaty hands through his messy hair.

"We're melting because you can't do basic maintenance on your ship?" The Master hissed scathingly.

"We're sweating to death because _YOU_ have been stealing supplies without my permission! What could be so important anyways?"

"That's none of your concern!" the Master dismissed her question, his words leaving through his clenched jaw.

This was about the point where one of them would launch themselves at the other and the pair would tussle across the ground until they were out of breath- but they were already out of breath and far too sticky to enjoy a proper fight. Instead, they glared each other down through the heat so intense it was drying out their eyes.

The Doctor eventually yielded first and discarded the hammer looped on her carpenter's pants. She wiped her greasy hands off on her tank top as she stood up and did what little she could to compose herself.

"I'm going to pass out if I have to be in this room any longer," she articulated through her frustration, "Can we take this to the basement pool? It _has_ to be cooler down there."

The Master rolled his eyes but considered her proposal before nodding reluctantly. He was too tired to continue arguing anyhow.

The Doctor led the way to the stairwell, beads of sweat rolling down her neck from where her hair was tied back and soaking through the back of her shirt.

"We'll have to think of yet another way to repair the AC," the Doctor sighed irritably.

"We?" The Master noted, wondering if it was what she'd meant to say. The Doctor glared at him and pointedly reminded him of their situation,

"We're both stuck here aren't we?"

Her hands gesturing out to the craft around them, "It would be fixed by now if you would simply return what you took- but seeing as you haven't suggested that already _we_ will have to come up with a different solution. We might as well streamline the process because it won't get any colder until we do."

"You know me so well, my dear," the Master sighed gently. His words lacked his usual flirtatious nature, but it was so hot he was surprised he could come up with anything witty at all.

They didn't bicker any further as they descended the staircase. It really was too painfully hot to do anything, even argue. Thankfully, the lower levels were indeed cooler than those above.

The moment they made it to the pool, the Master discarded his shoes and socks and dove directly into the deep end. The sudden cold was a mild shock to his systems, but it was a world better than the hell around him.

When he came up for air, he could hear the Doctor chuckle as she ducked into a side room to swap out her messy work clothes for swimwear. The outfit she returned with was clearly meant for a different regeneration- seeing as it was far too big for her smaller figure- but her swim shorts and shirt still did the job they were intended for.

A minute later, she launched herself from the diving board and joined the Master in the cool water below.

The Master ducked down to avoid the splash from her cannonball and watched her happily soak up the cold. The Doctor laughed happily with relief as she pulled her hair out of her face.

"That's better!" She exclaimed cheerfully.

"It certainly takes the edge off," the Master mustered a small smile. And it was a good thing it did, or they'd be at each other's throats already.

"Almost reminds me of Midnight-" the Doctor commented, "the planet- excellent spa, excellent dining, not too excellent touring though. I'm still not sure what was trying to kill me there- or if that was even its intention.... Have you been there?"

"With the waterfalls made of diamonds? Didn't they have to shut down that attraction?"

The Doctor smiled, "My bad."

"I closed down a tourist attraction once as well," the Master mused.

"Which one?"

"Some cliffs in the middle of nowhere. Some people saw them as religious, some people wanted to reshape them for whatever selfish reason. In short, there were a _lot_ of explosives involved and you know me," the Master chuckled grimly, "I am _ever so trigger happy_."

The Doctor glared at him, "You didn't...."

"I made it so _no one_ got what they wanted," the Master shrugged, "except for me of course."

The Doctor splashed him as he spoke. The wave forced his hair into his face and the Master spat out the water that had splashed into his open mouth.

"Very funny," the Master sassed, curtaining back his bangs from his eyes.

"It was, yes," the Doctor grinned proudly.

The Master dragged his hand sharply through the water and sent a wave directly into her face.

She tried to wipe the water from her eyes, but the Master continued with a relentless grin.

"Admit defeat, Doctor," he laughed dramatically.

The Doctor scooped up water with both hands and tossed it at him.

"I think it is you who will admit defeat, Master!" The Doctor could barely say without breaking into a laugh.

The Master jokingly flung his body backwards and sank under the water to feign a fatal blow.

He swam back against the nearest wall and when the Doctor followed after him, he launched himself from the wall and caught her around the middle in surprise.

The Doctor quickly slipped from his grasp and dove deeper into the water. For a brief moment, the Master couldn't find her before he realized she had gotten out on the nearest wall.

"Cannonball!" The Doctor announced as she leapt out from the wall. The large wave of her inelegant splash successfully crashed over the Master's head.

The Master grabbed the wall for a moment to catch his breath and Doctor soon returned with a bright grin on her face.

"I have an idea!" The Doctor gasped, her eyes shining with ingenuity, "I know how to rewire the power supply and bypass the need for a converter entirely!"

"World's most inspirational cannonball," the Master chuckled.

"No- Not that. Your thing with the explosives gave me an idea!"

The Doctor's palms caught onto the slick edge of the pool and she quickly dragged herself up onto the concrete.

Once on dry land, she reached down a hand to help the Master up. Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake and the Master grinned callously as he reached for her outstretched arm with both hands. He happily took the opportunity to pull the Doctor into the water one more and burst out laughing as her figure tumbled into the deep water.

He leapt up onto dry land and sat there for a moment more so he could properly mock the Doctor once she resurfaced.

"You make it too easy," the Master shrugged playfully while the Doctor glared up at him.

The Master continued to smile as he stood up once more and turned his attention to the only towel hung nearby.

The Doctor pulled herself out of the water with a heavy breath as the transition to land reintroduced her to gravity while the Master selfishly dried his face and hair.

"I'll have to remember that," she smirked as she caught up.

There was no real anger in either of their eyes as they shared an amused look.

The Master tossed the towel to her.

"We'll be dry the moment we get upstairs anyways," he excused with a halfhearted gesture.

The Doctor rubbed the towel over her head in a similar fashion and took the lead back to the stairs.

"Come on. Your penance is to help me with the repair."

"Oh is it?" The Master hummed with soft amusement pulling at his lips.

"Yes, it is, and if you had a conscience you'd offer of your own volition."

"Hm," he hummed with mocking consideration, "I'll have to outsource that position."

The Doctor knew she shouldn't laugh, but it was all too easy to do so. They exchanged a small smirk before the Doctor returned her attention to the task ahead.

"Come on, we have work to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this isn't my best work but to be fair: I wrote this when my ac actually broke during a heatwave and I was suffering. And no, I do not have a pool. So you can imagine my agony.
> 
> Why is the Master stealing supplies? What's he making? What will happen when things actually do boil over??  
> Angst is coming I promise lol  
> Ya gotta build it up before you can knock it down, you know?


	5. Don't Piss Off The Designated Driver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tardis figures out a creative way to retaliate against the Master for stealing her components and the Master's rarely one to turn down a challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The visual image of the Master trying to open a fridge with a crowbar was haunting me and would not leave until I wrote it  
> My inspiration? I was hangry

"What are you doing with that crowbar?"

It wasn't a sentence the Doctor thought she would be saying so early in the day, but the Master never ceased to surprise her.

The Doctor had been returning to yet another project when the Master hurried past her. His steps pressed into the carpet with sharp determination, shoulders were set forwards with focus, and the twisted beam was clutched tight in a closed fist.

The Master's eyes shifted out of his rage induced tunnel vision at the sound of the Doctor's voice and his locked jaw loosened slightly as he turned around to acknowledge her.

"Your fridge is stuck," the words scraped their way from his throat as he continued down the hall by walking backwards, "I plan on correcting that."

"Really? Which one?" The Doctor asked obliviously.

The truth was that, in the night, the Tardis had carried out the first retaliation against the Master for tampering with her inner mechanisms.

The Tardis had decided to lock away almost every box, container, and bag of anything edible in every kitchen. Every fridge was bolted shut, every cabinet emptied, and every half-discarded box of stale cereal had been swept away from sight. Where it all went, only the Tardis herself could say. However, it wouldn't be back anytime soon if she had her way.

The Doctor would be fine, the Tardis was sure. She had plenty of snacks hidden away all over the ship that she could eat from time to time.

However, the Master took this siege as a personal attack on himself. He was an endless supply of vengeance and he would be damned if he couldn't win this one man war against some pompous machine.

"I'll take care of it," the Master threatened aloud before continuing on his way.

Curious by nature, the Doctor followed.

The Master barely took note of his audience as he made a beeline for the fridge and jammed the crowbar mercilessly into the side of the door. He pushed down on the lever with all his might- far too angry to pay attention to the fact that he would quickly wear himself out with this approach.

The Doctor leapt up onto the counter top nearby and watched from a safe distance.

She didn't say anything as the Master pushed his body against the flat curve of metal. He even propped the bar up between the door and the actual frame and gave it a sharp kick.

Finally, after a few forceful blows, the door swung sharply open and the crowbar clattered to the floor. The Master breathed heavily, both from the rage flooding his senses and his actions exhausting him, but grinned at the sound of triumph.

Something between a laugh and a satisfied growl escaped the Master's throat as he pulled open the door.

The Doctor watched his face immediately fall and his deep eyes widen in the bright refrigerator lighting. The Master stood there, a hand on the handle of the door, and stared for a long minute in disbelief.

The Master's rage quickly caught up with him and he ripped the door right off its hinges. There was a sharp pop as the screws were ripped out of place, his hands on the handle and a foot pressed against the lip for leverage. A moment later, the Master succeeded and threw the metal door to the opposite side of the room. There was a loud clatter as the inside plastic hit the ground and the heavy door quickly slid to a stop.

"You alright there, Master?" The Doctor couldn't help but intrude on the moment, her face twisted in concern and an intrigued eyebrow raised in his direction.

The Master took a deep breath and forced himself to stand up in a calmer, nearly-collected manner. After a second more of staring into the fridge, he turned to answer the Doctor.

"I will be," the Master promised grimly.

He then turned his attention to the ceiling,

"You hear me?! This isn't over!"

The Master stormed out and the Doctor glanced into the fridge as she followed.

It was completely empty.

"Nice one," the Doctor whispered to the Tardis.

Her ship chirped happily in response and the Master yelled from a distant room.

The Doctor paused and winced as something crashed in the distance.

"... but maybe go easy on him. You can't really keep food from him you know. That's just immoral. He's our guest until we get through this."

The Tardis whirled and pushed an explanation into the Doctor's mind.

"He's been stealing your components?" The Doctor clarified, "For what?"

The Tardis whirled again, showing the Doctor images of what the Master had taken without her knowledge.

"I don't know either. Those aren't exactly volatile, so hopefully not a bomb- but I've been wrong before."

The Tardis replied in something of an agreement.

The Doctor nodded.

"How about I talk to him? Preferably before he damages you in a way I can't fix."

The Tardis replied with reluctant agreement.

"Alright. I'll fix that door later."

The Doctor began to leave the room when the Tardis added one last thing. It made the Doctor pause.

The Tardis transferred a bit of audio to the Doctor's mind. It was only a few seconds but it changed everything.

"Oh, hello, my dear," the Master's voice hummed ever so warmly. He sounded... kind. Kinder and gentler than the Doctor had ever heard him. He sounded so soothing and careful as he greeted whatever monstrosity he's been undoubtedly developing in his down time.

"She's going to love you," the Master's smooth voice purred.

The Doctor winced.

"I understand why you're on edge now. Who knows what kind of trouble the Master has been planning. I'll be extra careful, I promise," she told her Tardis.

All this time... the Doctor had thought things had been going so well. Was it all just a ploy? To pretend to be her friend and steal from her?

She shook her head. She'd just been starting to trust him again too.

The Doctor sighed as she left the room.

-

"Master?" The Doctor entered the room the Master had slunk off to pout in.

"Doctor! Excellent!" The Master exclaimed from the dimly-lit room.

The Doctor was about to say something like "You two will need to learn to get along-" when she registered the sight of the nearby wall almost completely removed to expose the inner workings of the Tardis.

"I'm not losing to some petty ship trying to spit me out like stale gum," the Master hissed, that shaky brink where rage toppled into madness clear in his voice, "Time Lord or not: my name should say it all. Now, help me figure out how to get the food back online."

The Master knelt back down and jammed a knife into the bare circuits.

"What? No!" The Doctor exclaimed. She raced over and pulled him back from the fragile inner systems.

"Mess the ship up and you'll be worse off than when you started!"

The Master sat himself up from the ground, disappointment adding to the anger glistening in his eyes.

"I should have known you'd take that thing's side," she shook his head and brushed the Doctor off, "It works for us and you're _scared_ of a little retaliation?"

" _She_ is only retaliating because you've been taking parts from her!" The Doctor explained sharply.

"She's scared because if you keep stealing you'll hurt her! Of course she's retaliating!"

The Master propped himself up with his hands pressed to the ground on either side of him. His eyes fell away from the Doctor and his lips parted slightly in surprise. His eyebrows pressed together for a long moment in thought.

The Doctor stood up and offered him a hand.

"Wait... You... You didn't _know_ that?" The Doctor asked. The tension slowly drained away as the Master contemplated his answer.

The Master ignored her hand and stood up himself. He brushed himself off as his eyes finally met the Doctor's once more. Finally, he shook his head and admitted the truth.

"No, of course not," he said sharply, "How am I supposed to know what this place is thinking? I'm not it's pilot! It doesn't talk to me."

The Doctor scanned him over and was surprised to find sincerity in his voice.

"Electrocuting me was one thing but trying to starve me-"

"You thought she hated you?" The Doctor realized with surprise, "Master, of course she doesn't. And I talked to her, okay? Stop tampering with her systems and she'll leave you alone."

The Master rolled his eyes but nodded.

He let out a small "Fine." as he brushed past her and made his way for the open door.

"Master?" the Doctor called.

The Master spun around more dramatically than necessary, an eyebrow raised in interest.

"What _are_ you stealing for?"

The Master grinned, his eyes prideful to know something that the Doctor did not.

"It's a surprise!" he wrung his hands happily. He then gave a little wave as he left her sight.

"I have almost everything I need anyways. If everything's sorted, then I suppose I'll see you at _dinner_ , love!"

Once he was gone, the Doctor let out a deep sigh. Still, she couldn't hold back the small smile it brought to her face. At least he could be defused as quickly as he riled up.

Some things never change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to do more with the idea of the Tardis and the Master getting into a petty argument but tbh I couldn't come up with enough of a plot to do much more with it than this. And then I thought about leaving it to work on later but I really like it to be at this point in the story. So yeah have some fun Master content in this trying time.  
> What is the Master making? You'll find out soon enough >:]


	6. Boiling Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor catches the Master trying to numb his suffering with a different kind of pain. The Master says that it's no worse than the torment the Doctor is putting herself through with this whole situation.  
> As one can imagine, this doesn't go over well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ:
> 
> Hey TW FOR MENTIONS OF SELF-HARM  
> It's nothing severe, however,  
> IF READING ABOUT SELF HARM UPSETS YOU THEN IT'S COMPLETELY FINE TO SKIP to the next chapter!  
> I promise you won't miss anything essential to this half-baked plot, okay? I wrote it myself so I would know.  
> I totally understand, and it's totally okay  
> The next chapter will return to your previously scheduled fluff and it's probably my favorite thing I've written in this whole mini-series lol
> 
> With all that said: writing is cheaper than therapy so enjoy lol

The Doctor held the doorframe with one hand as she nonchalantly swung herself into the Master's room.

"What are you doing?" she asked curiously.

The Master looked up and held her gaze, hoping that it would be enough of a distraction to keep her from noticing the careful way he hid one arm behind his back. He closed a nearby book laying next to him with another as a misdirect.

"Not much," the Master replied with cold annoyance. He then added rather sharply, "Reading."

The Doctor blinked for a moment before narrowing her eyes and approaching.

"To what do I owe the misfortune- hey!" the Master began before being interrupted.

"What do you have in your hand? Honestly- do I even _want_ to know what you've stolen this time?"

The Doctor approached his bed and forcibly pulled the Master's left arm into sight. The Master attempted to push her away, but the Doctor was quick enough to get a decent look.

As it turns out, there was nothing in his hand- but she discovered what he was hiding all the same.

The Master slid from his seat against the headboard and faced the Doctor with his back to his dresser. He quickly pulled down his sleeve in a pointless attempt to hide the obvious damage.

The embarrassing truth was that his arm was terribly battered and bruised. The skin was unbroken but covered in sharp, irritated scratches just shallow enough not to bleed. Deep bruises covered his wrists and his knuckles were a bright blood-vessels-broken color of red.

"You've been here for months! What happened?" The Doctor asked with great concern.

The Master grimaced and refused to meet her eyes while the Doctor simply waited for an explanation- completely blind to the situation.

"Did you get your hand stuck in something? I don't know what would even-"

"No, I didn't," the Master hissed, "Don't you have better things to do than show up unannounced and pester me?"

"No," the Doctor sighed and looked to the floor as she shuffled one foot, "I really don't. Yaz was supposed to call today but she must've gotten busy-"

"Boo hoo," the Master mocker mercilessly, "Some people have things to do that don't involve you," he snapped.

The Doctor had entered the room with her guard down, but immediately began to build it back up at the Master's harsh words. Her eyebrows pressed together and her warm, caring eyes grew cold.

"Right. Better things to do than show you an ounce of kindness," she hissed.

"Then we're agreed," the Master snapped.

"I guess we are."

The Doctor stood there for a moment more- the bed between them- with her on the right and the Master with his hands folded professionally behind him. She was nearly convinced to leave when her eye caught the reflection of the mirror behind the Master. Even with the sleeve hastily unrolled, she could see the red over the back of his hand.

The Doctor had seen a lot of ridiculous injuries in her day, but those didn't look like the markings of an accident.

Her anger quickly melted away.

"Did you do that?" the Doctor asked softly.

"Do what?" The Master played innocent.

It was the oblivious tone that really sold the lie; and also what happened to give it away. The Master very rarely played stupid when the Doctor was involved so if he thought he could get away with a lie like that in a situation like this, then things must be more dire than the Doctor had previously thought.

"You did... Didn't you?" the Doctor slowly put it all together. No wonder the Master was reacting so poorly to her questions.

The Master let out a sharp breath and let his hands swing around to his front pockets. There were marks on both, the Doctor could now easily see. But of course the worst of it was isolated to his non-dominant hand where the injured could be inflicted with more precision.

"Caught me," the Master breathed sarcastically.

"It's not my best work, to say the least. That self preservation instinct," he chuckled emptily as he glanced down to admire his work, "still a little too strong in this body as well, I guess."

"You hurt yourself?" The Doctor asked. The answer was clear, but she didn't quite want to believe it.

The Master shook his head and let out a disappointed breath.

The words from his lips sang once again, as if this was another of his performances- albeit a poorly rehearsed one that was not yet ready for the Doctor’s audience,

"Oh please, since when did you care about a little collateral damage?"

"That's not collateral," the Doctor said coldly.

The Master properly fixed his sleeves- as if a gentleman casually preparing for an evening out- and did his best to ignore her.

"It's barely anything. Barely even hurts. Shameful really," he spat.

"You hurt yourself. That's..." the Doctor shook her head and extended a hand, "You can't be doing that."

It wasn't what she'd meant to say but it was the only thing that left her lips as she worked through the shock.

The Master simply scoffed, his face scrunching in anger,

"Oh, please! You do nothing but hurt yourself! You tie yourself down to these pitiful human lives when they're little more than weights to drown you!"

The Doctor shook her head adamantly.

"They're my friends! They make me better! Caring for people is far different than sitting alone in the dark with a knife."

The Master growled, stepping around the furniture and meeting her face as if it was a challenge, "I haven't upgraded to knives yet, thanks for rubbing that in. Talk about insult to injury."

It didn't spark a laugh from either of them.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" The Doctor demanded. Truth was, this scared her. The Doctor could deal with a lot from the Master- plenty of murder and schemes- but never had she been confronted with something like this. Despite everything, the Doctor always expected the Master to survive. Something like this just didn’t sit right with her concept of who the Master was.

Moreover, she couldn't sit by and let him do this knowing she had brought this situation upon him. For some reason she felt guilty and she hated even considering that she might be the source of such pain.

"Me?!" The Master raised his voice for the first time since this conversation had started.

"You could be anywhere in the universe but instead you're here! You're scared out of your mind," he began to count on his fingers, "you're trapped- your biggest fear might I add-" he raised another finger, "and you took it on yourself all for these _pests_! And you want to call ME out for self-imposed torment?!"

"Yeah?!" The Doctor shouted, rising to the challenge, "Then why are _you_ still here if you hate it so much?! You're here because you care about me so… so technically _you're_ hurting yourself more than I am!"

The Doctor was letting words slip, losing the actual meaning to her raised tone and the way tears swelled in her eyes.

"Yeah?! Maybe!" The Master couldn't stop himself from admitting, "And it's hell to sit here and watch you race about, trying to run from your problems by taking on task after task. Universe forbid I try to distract myself from it for a few minutes!"

The Master's face was level at hers, their rage matched.

The months had gotten long, the walls felt the same no matter which room they visited, and they were both getting more than a little on edge. Something like this might as well be the tipping point.

"Hurting yourself is no way to deal with things!" the Doctor shouted.

She hated this too. All of it. The fear that settled somewhere deep inside her and only hurt more day after day. The only thing they had through all of this was the knowledge that _at the very least_ the other was safe. She couldn’t let that single breath of relief be taken from her as well.

It was a blur whose arms reached out first- but in seconds they were wrestling each other. Hands tight over each others’ shoulders and upper arms as blood pumped loudly through both their ears.

The Master had a little more to him, but he wasn't much of a fighter. Meanwhile the Doctor had never missed an excuse to run- which meant her cardio was unmatched. A few focused shots from the Master could overtake her. A few well timed movements from the Doctor could easily pin the Master. But neither of them bothered with strategy.

They were both simply, incredibly, angry.

The Master shoved the Doctor out into the hall first and she staggered back until her back hit the wall opposite of his room. The Doctor quickly used the leverage to her advantage and shoved a foot off the wall to propel herself into the Master. The well-placed shoulder easily knocked him off balance.

The Master stumbled but quickly regained his footing. In the blink of an eye, his shoulder crashed into the Doctor and sent her tumbling back across the carpet.

Then they tussled, hand over hand and body over body across the floor like schoolchildren- nevermind that they were each trained in numerous paralyzing techniques.

If they were actually trying to kill the other, then one of them would be dead by now. But that was never quite their style when it came to fighting each other.

They only needed to press each other enough to hurt, enough to remind each other of what they were capable of but would never commit to. As if showing each other mercy was some twisted attempt at affection.

"If you hate it here so much then just LEAVE!" the Doctor demanded as she shoved the Master off her and briefly pinned him down with a knee over his chest.

"Not until _YOU leave_!" the Master shouted back, breaking his hands free of her grip and pulling himself off the floor.

They stared each other down, both breathing heavily.

"Why not! You think this is stupid!” The Doctor shouted childishly, “If you hate being here with me then go back to your own Tardis! I bet it's not even that far!"

She had known it ever since the Master had offered to stay, but only when they were both too blinded by rage to think clearly did she dare admit it.

"I'm staying for the same reason you're staying!" the Master shouted back. He had gotten an advantage on the Doctor, but was already losing it as the Doctor shoved him back against the wall near the doorway and held him there by the front of his waistcoat.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" the Doctor scoffed, "You don't care about anyone but yourself!"

A low growl swelled up from the Master's throat as he finally shoved her into the opposing wall.

He had her arms pinned to either side of the Doctor’s head, but she could feel his hands shaking as he hesitated to continue the fight.

"You're staying because if your pets get sick then you don't want to pass them by, right?" the Master demanded, something painful creeping into his voice, "Imagine… if _you_ got sick! Or by the stars forbid, you went out there to help them and died!"

He looked away sharply, hair completely astrew and falling into his face as he continued. His grip on the Doctor's sleeves loosened ever so slightly as he continued but the Doctor didn't interrupt.

"You show back up on Earth and your pets are dead and your part of events and there's nothing you can do about it. That's what you're scared of, right?" the Master's furious brown eyes demanded, "So what if I leave; and one day I come back to Earth to find out you died stupidly trying to help these humans?! Again! Would that make you happy?!"

The Doctor didn't have the hearts to shove him away as tears began to threaten his eyes.

The Master stepped back and released the Doctor's arms from his grasp. He nearly doubled over as he buried his face into his shaking hands.

"I don't want to die alone again. I can't die thinking it's for good again," the Master confessed in a moment of weakness.

He should shut up, he knew. Now was not the time. There would never be a better time but nevertheless, he shouldn't have said that.

He was just so overwhelmed. There was so much pain and fear and anger burning him from the inside out. There were so many feelings and ideas racing through his mind and for once in all his lives there was absolutely no one to take it out on.

No one to take it out on but… himself. For not knowing how to silence it.

Suddenly, he felt the Doctor's arms rest over his shoulders. Her touch was gentle and careful- unlike their childish wrestling from mere moments ago.

"I didn't know that," the Doctor mumbled simply into his shoulder as she pulled him into her embrace.

"Of course not," the Master scoffed.

But even as he kept his face covered in his hands and his arms close against his chest, he felt the Doctor’s touch pull some of that pain from his frustrated mind.

His voice then grew soft, "I was always going to come back for you, you know. And I always will. I’ll always… chase you down. I just... I need to know that you'll still be alive for me to find."

There was a long break of silence as they both did what they could to pull themselves together.

Thankfully, their fight had taken the edge off of the usual tension between them.

The Master lowered his hands and instead hid his face in the Doctor's shoulder. Against his better judgement, he allowed himself to be held by her for a minute more.

It was only when the Master's breathing returned to normal that the Doctor pulled away. She did let her hands linger on his shoulders.

"Can we please go back to only inflicting psychological damage?" the Doctor eventually asked.

The Master looked up again, his eyes still a little red but otherwise the same as usual. He rolled his eyes but eventually nodded with a small smile.

"I'm not making any promises," he huffed, "Maybe if you were more entertaining I wouldn't have to find another hobby."

The Doctor chuckled at his dark humor.

"Maybe cooking instead,” she suggested with a smile, “You weren't too bad at it last time. And now you have glasses to read the instructions-"

The Master smiled, his expression softening, "And I suppose you'll be able to eat everything I make?"

"If I must," the Doctor smiled, her arms still around him, "but it's a burden I'm willing to bear."

The Master took a deep breath, finally finding a more peaceful state of mind than the terrible thoughts tormenting him these last few days.

"I suppose that's a much better use for knives anyways," he eventually agreed,

"How would you feel about cookies?"

The Doctor pulled away and reached for the Master's left hand instead. It was still covered in various fading red marks, but it would recover just fine in time. The Doctor carefully took it in her own hand and she brushed away her own lingering tears with the palm of her other hand.

The Master considered pulling away, but he was surprised to find that he really didn’t want to. The Doctor’s cool fingers softened the ache of his skin and the warmth in her eyes was too hopeful to refuse.

All at once, the Master felt reassured that maybe there was a real chance they could get through this.

"Sounds perfect! I'm sure Yaz has plenty of recipes for us to use!" the Doctor suggested cheerfully.

The Master hummed thoughtfully as the Doctor led the way.

He did say he wanted a distraction- and there was nothing worse than trying to bake with the Doctor.

It sounded just painful enough to scratch the itch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went back and forth on if I should include this or not quite a bit.  
> I deliberated for a while but eventually I just decided that, yeah, I would, because this strange haze between things being peaceful and the world crumbling really hurts and I can't possibly be the only one who feels that way.  
> When I wrote this... I wasn't exactly at a high point. However, as I finish editing and upload this, I'm doing so at the end of what has actually been a really great day.  
> I'm doing a lot better now and all I am is grateful that I wrote this fic because it helped me work through what I was feeling and it was way more helpful than hurting myself more.
> 
> Moral of the story? Uh... When you're upset... uh simply be upset I guess. Let it out- safely of course- before it builds up and destroys you. And when you've done that safely... then... find a creative outlet for what remains. Write something you never intend to post but end up doing so anyways like me lol  
> Or... draw or sing or... idk... read a fanfic? Read one of my fanfics! Idk man im tired. Goodnight.


	7. Companionship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Old habits die hard when they're thousands of years old, and the Doctor struggles without a companion to share her work with.  
> The Master doesn't know how to be the kind of person she needs- nor does he want to be- so he decides to make her a new companion instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing like that good, soft, the-Master-being-nice-for-once-but-pretending-it's-still-evil-somehow content lol  
> Also a side order of 'O' angst because I had to

"Doctor?" The Master knocked on the Doctor's door somewhat sheepishly.

Usually he was unabashed in matters such as this, but things had grown far past unusual and into uncharted territory. He rarely knocked on the Doctor's door, and although it was usually something he would only do in desperation, he didn't actually need anything either.

In actuality, he was there to _give_ her something- which made things feel all the stranger.

Had months of near solitude really soaked so far into his veins that he was there as a kindness?

He almost hoped the Doctor wouldn't open the door and allow him more time to rethink this. He had given her a whole cyber-army once not so incredibly long ago- and alright, maybe it hadn't gone over very well- but this would be different. He didn't even have to kill anyone to make this gift- so the Doctor couldn't protest from her high horse... Could she?

Actually, knowing her, she probably could.

Damn it all, okay, maybe this _was_ a stupid idea after all.

"Oh, hello!" the Doctor happily swung open her door before the Master could back out.

The Doctor invited him in with a wave before returning to the small tool cart she was restoring on her bedroom floor. She had the whole thing taken apart, some pieces sanded down and some restained, waiting to be put back together again.

The Master kept the somewhat large box he'd brought with him hidden behind his back so that the Doctor wouldn't notice it as she turned back to her work.

"What's the occasion?" she asked as she took a seat before the scattered pieces.

The Master tipped his head for a moment, trying to remember what it was he'd been planning on saying and failed to remember. He really wasn't one for gift giving. He didn't like the weird formality that came with it and he certainly didn't like to be thanked.

"Well... I know you've been disappointed that you're currently unable to roam about the Universe with your pets. By the _stars_ , I've heard you _constantly_ catch yourself talking out loud _numerous_ times a day!" the Master attempted to sympathize. However it clearly wasn't his strong suit.

The Doctor's eyes flickered over him for a moment, annoyance growing in her eyes.

"Your point?"

"Well," the Master continued, "I know they're not around to humor you anymore, and _I certainly_ don't have the patience to take up such a time consuming hobby anytime soon," the Master chuckled mildly.

He couldn't help but be a little extra sharp in a desperate attempt to keep his nerves at bay. However, the Doctor only read his words with their usual mockery.

"But you have the time to come in here and insult me?" the Doctor huffed flatly.

The Master nodded, a small grin growing on his face, "Yes, of course! But that's not my point. What I mean is-"

The Master pulled out the box from behind his back and offered it to her. It wasn't something that needed to be packaged so decoratively, by any means, but he certainly loved the flair. He'd found the perfect box to coat in gorgeous metallic purple paper and even made a matching bow out of it to put on top.

"If this is a bomb I swear-" the Doctor began.

The Master quickly shook his head flippantly, "No, of course it isn't! I'm stuck here- same as you- so killing you now wouldn't be of much use to me anyways."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Just open the box," the Master sighed.

"What is it?" The Doctor questioned skeptically.

The Master took a knee and set the box directly onto in her lap.

"It's an audience!" the Master grinned and proudly announced its contents as the Doctor lifted the shimmering purple lid, "I'm not a big fan of your live pets, but I took special care to code this one according to your usual pets' habits!"

Inside the box sat a reasonably sized metal creature with a dome-shaped body and six tall, thin legs that folded up around it. The center of its body lifted up onto it's limbs and the small screen on the front displayed two cheerful-looking eyes in an 8-bit format as the creature chirped to life. It looked directly at the Doctor, and then at the Master, and then at the Doctor again, and beeped cheerfully. It's little eyes curved into two happy semicircles.

The Doctor chuckled softly and reached her hands down to pick up the happy little creature.

"It's practical too," the Master continued as he took a seat nearby, "It can fetch things for you- once you put the name to the visual, of course. I gave it all sorts of useful programs so it can learn as it goes. And it's energy source should last centuries. It's nothing less than some of my finest work. It just needs a name."

The Doctor lifted up the creature to better examine it. She squinted through the openings where it's legs moved and glimpsed it's inner workings.

"Did you- Is this where the energy converters went? Is this why you took pieces from the Tardis without telling me?"

"That's besides the point," the Master's face scrunched together for a moment as he quickly brushed off the accusation.

Luckily, the Doctor's annoyance was quickly ignored as she turned back to the robot with a wide smile stretching across her lips.

She had been spending so much time alone lately and although there was plenty of music and podcasts to listen to, it was never the same as having someone to talk _to_. Someone kind and patient who would listen but never judge. The creature was no human, but something about a personality created by the Master and tailored to the Doctor's needs reminded her warmly of someone.

All at once, she realized the perfect name.

"I think I'll name it Oh," the Doctor grinned with a dark and knowing smile.

The Master felt his face go a bit pale.

"Well, it's yours now. I have no say in the matter," he swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly a bit dry.

He returned to his feet and showed himself out.

"I'll... see you later."

The Doctor smiled and pulled the spider-like creature into her arms.

"Hey, Oh," the Doctor's soft voice rang joyously. Her words were answered by a unique, equally-excited series of beeps and chirps.

The Master nearly stumbled over his own feet as he left the room.

Not so long ago he had been on the receiving end of many late night conversations which began with a soothing variation of 'Hey, Oh'. He was caught off guard by his own residual attachment to the name.

He hoped this wouldn't be yet another one of his few acts of kindness that came back to haunt him.

-

Over the next week, the Master's solution thankfully proved to help more than it harmed.

Sure there was one mild incident: the Master had been absentmindedly eating dinner and when the Doctor left the room with a snack in hand and happily said "Come on, Oh!" the Master was ashamed to say he was half out of his chair before realizing that he was not- in fact- the 'O' to which she was referring. However, luckily, the Doctor had yet to mention his blunder and the Master hoped she never would.

The inspiration behind 'Oh' was truthfully far less heartwarming than one would think. In fact, it had all been rather painful.

For months, the Master had heard the Doctor's voice cut through the soothing silence, off and on again, over and over without end. He had been subjected to dozens of tangents; all spoken out to the open air and all of which were spoken so cheerfully before cutting off with a heartbreaking: "Oh.... Right...." as the Doctor abruptly turned to find no one there to reply. Her halfhearted, half-conscious explanations drifted off through the lonely halls and faded into the whitenoise of the Tardis engines- never gracing anyone's ears but the Master's should he be unfortunate enough to be within range.

They were annoying at best, but the _knowledge_ of how often the same scene was repeated with or without reaching the Master's ears was the worst. He was always torn whether he should go chat with her but he wasn't exactly the best at chit chat. He got frustrated with the pointlessness of it more frequently than he liked to believe and he felt he always made things worse than if he had never interfered at all.

At some point, even the Master couldn't take the Doctor's losing fight against her own bad habit anymore and had begun assembling- and sometimes outright stealing- all the pieces to create the newly dubbed 'Oh'.

It had taken a little over a month of careful work, but he was finally content to know it was all worth while.

Now when the Master happened to have the unfortunate pleasure of overhearing the Doctor loudly explain her projects, or her thought process on a Tardis upgrade, or an anecdote about adventures with her humans; there was a happy little beeping in response and a cheerful laugh from the Doctor as if she had been given the perfect response. The Master did his best not to pay it much mind, but truthfully he was relieved to hear the Doctor's elated laughter ringing through the halls rather than her heavyhearted disappointment.

The Doctor needed optimism and cheerfulness- things the Master was well aware he lacked. The Doctor needed someone who would listen while she worked through the thoughts racing about her own brilliant mind, and she needed to tell them to someone who would support her no matter what.

Maybe the Master felt a mild pang of guilt that, back when _he_ was 'O', he had served a similar role in her life which was now nonexistent. However, there was still too much pain between them for the Master to act like someone he wasn't. For now, he would leave his new replacement to fill the space he and the Doctor's other human companions left.

And if Oh failed, the Master would not hesitate to tear the creature apart and rebuild him again and again until he got it right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Master making the Doctor a robot companion which sort of fills the role of confidant that he, himself left??  
> I had to.  
> I hope you like the new little guy. This won't be last you see of him.
> 
> Tbh the new 'Oh' is VERY loosely inspired by the fic "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" by Raindropsonwhiskers  
> It's basically a rewrite of entire first season (roughly) except the Master goes on adventures with the Doctor and the Fam! And there's this one bit where he ends up adopting a giant spider and I've been so obsessed with it lol idk why but it's one of the funniest things I've ever read.  
> Seriously, if you want some good 13 and the Master content that fic is AMAZING I absolutely adore it  
> Anyways, I hope you're enjoying this ridiculous au of the Doctor and the Master being stuck together  
> I've just kinda been working on it casually so it'll be interesting even for me to see where it's going.  
> Please don't by shy to comment. I really enjoy reading them. And if you have any suggestions for trouble these two can get into I'll definitely take them into consideration for future chapters!  
> Also sorry for not uploading consistently. I'm just glad when I write anything half-descent rn


	8. Oh, No

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor had never planned on giving the Master another chance after all the pain of their last lives and the way he played with her emotions as O. She had been prepared to properly hate him this time around but... perhaps in light of recent events…  
> In short, he was making that difficult too.  
> Is the Master's newfound kindness genuine? Or is it simply a new flavor of betrayal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally part 2 of the previous chapter so if you happen to be reading this out of order I'd recommend reading that bit first. But to each their own.  
> This got a tad long? I'll explain why in the end notes  
> But yeah mostly just another chill chapter, now with a splash of plot!

The Master was being kinder than usual.

Sure his past was filled with grand schemes of death and world domination, so anytime he _wasn't_ planning those things was an improvement. However, this was something more than the absence of his horror. This was something new and it almost felt- dare the Doctor admit- _genuine_.

These acts of... dare she call them kindness? Was the Master capable of such a thing? Perhaps not kindness, but the rare instance of showing consideration for someone other than himself.

Whatever they were, the Doctor didn't hate them.

She wasn't blind to the Master's flaws. After what had happened before... with Missy....

After all of that, the Doctor wasn't interested in giving out any more chances. Not in this lifetime anyways.

And even if she did, the Master still clung tightly to his sharp defenses in ways she would never tolerate if not for her deep understanding of his tortured past.

He had a short fuse and often overreacted with all the force of a predator who felt cornered. He took any opportunity to make a scathing remark, and any opening to sprinkle in his own gallows humor. He rarely listened, he never listened to advice, and although he spoke often; his words were mostly meaningless jokes to deflect from any real knowledge of his personal life. Their bedrooms were just down the hall from each other and yet she barely knew what he was occupying his days with. Sometimes he would disappear altogether and the Doctor wouldn't see him again until a random dinner days later with no explanation.

He was rude- he never accepted help, even when he needed it- and he stole shamelessly, to the point of blatantly refusing to apologize even when caught red handed. Sometimes the Doctor wondered if he even knew how to pretend to care when he sharply brushed off the majority of her attempts at conversation.

He used to watch the Doctor get into trouble so wide eyed in awe and yet so terrified of getting caught himself. He used to be so nervous and so cautious but could always overcome it with the Doctor at his side.

He was still like that. Still careful and so nervous. Even his body betrayed him with the way his hands would shake at the slightest hint of vulnerability before anger overrode his fear. It was a defense he'd built well to scare off threats before they had a chance to hurt him and it never failed, sometimes even against the Doctor. She would get frustrated by his cruel word choice and do her best to ignore him even when their hostility lingered in the air.

And yet, over time, the Doctor slowly warmed to his actions rather than his harsh words.

He didn't initiate any form of closeness, but when he was settled down to read or they were watching a film together he allowed the Doctor into his personal space. He refused any and all offers from the Doctor for help, but if the Doctor added herself in by putting away the ingredients he was cooking with or helping to clean up, he never told her to leave him alone.

And these small little things evolved over time into something more.

When the Master made himself dinner, he would always make extra without the Doctor's asking. And if the Doctor's time blindness got the best of her- which it often did- she would usually find a container of leftovers in the fridge with her name on it. A few times she had fallen asleep while the Master was reading and awoken the next morning alone but with the company of a blanket and a pillow she'd never seen before.

It was almost as though the Master could only display his fondness of the Doctor when he wouldn't have to admit his true motives. And on the rare occasion the Doctor asked, it was always that he'd made too much food anyways or 'you'd starve without me' or pretending he'd never seen that blanket before either.

The Doctor quickly learned to never bring these kindnesses up, partially because she feared that if she pressed the Master might stop and partially because she understood why it was so difficult for him to care.

This was temporary. It hurt the Doctor to face that as well.

The game changed when the Master had created 'Oh'.

Every previous action on his part was passive, little things that were thoughtful but hardly out of his way. However, Oh was, by the Doctor's calculations, the biggest step in the right direction she had seen from the Master in an incredibly long time. Making something like Oh for her? It was selfless.

A new friend, a proper companion who- thus far- was indistinguishable from a living life form. The Doctor knew plenty of robot lifeforms in her time. She'd had K-9 and a cyberman head named Handles and knew several cyborgs back in the day as well as androids. She'd even dated an android once... or at least, she was pretty sure she had at some point. That one could have been a dream though, it was hard for her to keep everything in order sometimes.

Point is- the Master had gone through quite a lot of trouble, and spent quite a lot of time on this project, all for her. To give her this new friend who was quite the opposite from what was to be expected from someone who calls themself 'the Master'.

Oh was sentient- as far as philosophers could argue.

By day, he- the Doctor had arbitrarily decided the creature would be a he, seeing as the Master had used 'he' as 'Agent O' whom Oh was named after- followed the Doctor about the Tardis from project to project. By night, he slept in the purple box the Master had made and which the Doctor had thereafter turned into a little bed for the cheerful robot.

He had a curious and lighthearted little personality that the Doctor quickly adored. Oh would chirp about the Doctor's tools while she worked like he was asking questions and the Doctor would always give him the best answers she could supply. Once she had, she would always smile at the way Oh beeped happily in response to her explanations and did his best to file her words away in his memory banks for later use.

Oh did his best to be helpful too. He often tried his best to fetch the correct wrench or screwdriver per the Doctor's request, even when his sharp claws couldn't quite figure out how to grasp the heavy chink of refined metal. The Doctor eventually worked out how to add a little electromagnet onto one of his arms so that Oh could turn it on and off at will. With the additional skill, he then learned to carry the Doctor's metal tools to her at her request- although it did take him a little longer to learn how to put the names to each item. Oh was also especially helpful because he could even climb down into hard to reach pieces of the Tardis console and rewire the more fragile bits of the Tardis's inner workings- with the Doctor's careful instruction of course.

The Doctor took to Oh just as fast as Oh had taken to her.

And sometimes, when the three of them met up for dinner, the Doctor considered saying something to the Master.

There was a thankfulness in her that couldn't quite reach her tongue.

'Thank you for...'

For what?

For staying? For sticking around to help keep her sane? For reluctantly agreeing to be trapped on this Tardis which she knew the Master wasn't a fan of to begin with? For the sole purpose of ensuring the Doctor's safety?

For creating this unique creature who somehow perfectly filled a gap in the Doctor's hearts she hadn't even realized she'd had?

The Master never asked about Oh. And the Doctor never asked why not.

Just like how the Master had made far too much of the Doctor's favorite chicken and rice that evening so that he could inevitably box it away for the Doctor's lunch tomorrow.

The world felt so dark and every night the Doctor worried about the humans in the city just outside her doors, and about her fam, and everyone else on this planet. She worked out how to round up all the medical supplies on board and wondered if Yaz would pick it up if she left it in the grass outside but then didn't because the Doctor didn't know how to tell Yaz that she had to stay away. She wondered how the disease could have even made it to this planet, and wondered why now; and then immediately forgot all about that question because it didn't matter. People were suffering, even more than usual, and she didn't know how to help.

For once she couldn't fix the problem with a good speech or a clever plan. She had no choice but to let the world be and instead focus on keeping herself and the Master safe. It was all she _could_ do.

She hated every second... and yet somehow she was _almost_ content.

-

A month in and finally trouble.

"Master! Where is it?!" the Doctor announced her presence by somehow shoving open the sliding door to his room. A door which the Master had been _quite certain_ he'd locked the night before.

The Master's eyes immediately snapped open at the sharp sound and he sat up, discombobulated, to find the Doctor tearing his room apart.

She opened the large bottom drawer of his desk and began working her way through his room, halfway to trashing it as she went. The Master couldn't even get a word in before he heard the sound of a large box being shaken out all over his floor.

He dragged himself out of bed only to find the pieces scattered about the rug underfoot and the Doctor loudly digging through a second bin of scraps stored on the shelf to his left.

Sure he had swiped most of the pieces from various Tardis rooms when no one was looking; but in his own defense, if the Tardis was working just fine _without_ them then how important were they really? Clearly they were more valuable in the Master's care where they could actually be of use. Furthermore; yes, he took things here and there, but never anything vital enough to elicit this kind of response.

Whatever the reason, it was far too early in the morning for any of this.

"Stop that!" the Master's tired voice grumbled, "Get away from there!"

A fearful defensiveness quickly replaced his sleepiness as he pulled the Doctor back from his shelves. There was only so much personal space he had created for himself in these long months and he sure as hell wasn't going to sit there while the Doctor tore it apart.

The Doctor pried his fingers from her upper arms without a problem and shoved him back. The Master faltered, his lax muscles not yet prepared for such an assault, and stumbled back. He tripped over the sharp metal scraps which stabbed the soft arches of his feet and caught his desk with one hand to steady himself.

His jaw clenched tightly and his eyes narrowed, now properly enraged.

If the Doctor wanted a fight, he sure as hell would give her a fight. He didn't have anything better to do anyways.

Sure he didn't look very threatening dressed in purple and black tartan pj bottoms and a t-shirt for a band he'd never heard of- not to mention his messy hair- but he was never too tired for a good brawl.

He was about to suggest they take this out to the hall where they'd have more space, but before the words could make their way to his tongue, the Doctor stopped and glanced around in defeat.

She sighed sadly and let her now-shoulder-length hair curtain around her cheeks. The Master hesitated at the sight of her reddened features and glistening eyes brimming with tears. In the blink of an eye, the Master watched the Doctor's fury fade away into something... he couldn't place, but it was definitely worse. The Doctor's fists fell open at her sides.

"I hope you're happy. I hope your little prank was worth it!" she sneered vehemently.

"Wait-" the Master lowered his fists, "Which prank? Are you that attached to your wrenches? You do realize I didn't _actually_ destroy them, right?"

The Doctor's expression scrunched up in confusion. For a moment, she faulted. The Master quickly realized that he'd gotten it wrong once again.

" _YOU_ took my wrenches? I thought I misplaced them!" the Doctor exclaimed in surprise.

"So this _isn't_ about the wrenches?" the Master's fists fell away.

The Doctor's eyebrows pressed together, exasperated, "No of course not... but _where did you put my wrenches?!_ "

"I hung them up like wind chimes in the wardrobe! I assumed you would find them eventually!" the Master replied, feigning innocence, "If you're not here about that then what are you here for?"

The Doctor hesitated. Her eyes fell to the floor in something that- if the Master didn't know better- resembled shame.

"N... Nevermind," she said. In seconds, the Doctor left the room as quickly as she had entered.

The Master sighed and glanced about his disorganized room. It had already been a mess, but there had been a _system_ to the chaos! Now it was just... a pile.

What could be so important anyway? What could upset her so much that she would barge in like this?

Not even his worst of recent crimes- even taking into account the ones the Doctor didn't know about yet- offered any solution.

Against his better judgement and with clenched fists once more,- now in frustration rather than anger- he chased after the Doctor.

"What are you looking for?!" he shouted down the corridor.

The Doctor raced away in quick determined steps, her coat caught in the nonexistent wind. She had rushed away as fast as her feet would take her, but she froze at the sound of his voice.

She stopped and her blue-grey coat settled around her shoulders and fell about her. She dipped her head and remained silent until the Master caught up to her.

"I... I thought you had taken Oh back," the Doctor confessed, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if they could offer any bit of comfort, "He wasn't in his usual box when I woke up and I- I thought maybe it was all some cruel joke; to give me someone to care about and then... take him away from me."

Her gaze flickered up to meet his eyes and he was surprised to find such pain in her expression.

"It wouldn't be the first time," the Doctor concluded coldly.

They stared each other down for a long minute, neither daring to break away and admit the blame placed on them.

She was referring to all the long years the Master had spent as 'O', he was sure. All the time he had 'pretended' to be her friend. All the hours chatting over text, and even more spent in deep evening conversations over the phone. He had inadvertently become her confidant- and that made it all the tougher when he inevitably betrayed her trust. Especially on the Doctor, who had no one else she could risk being so honest with.

The Doctor broke away first.

"Forget it. I'm going to keep looking," she noted flatly.

The Master quickly ran his hands through his hair in some failing attempt to fix it before chasing after her.

"It probably wandered off," the Master explained as he fell into step beside the Doctor. She didn't slow down.

"Why would he do that?" the Doctor scoffed, brushing the Master aside.

The Master shook his head.

"No, I'm _serious_. It probably wandered off! I gave it all sorts of traits your human pets usually have-"

"Friends-"

"Nuance," the Master casually dismissed her correction before continuing.

"One of these said 'traits' was 'wondering off'- so to speak- because, well," he tipped his head with a small smile, "we both know your little companions always seem to manage it somehow. The whole idea was something of a joke, to give the creature a more natural curiosity. It wasn't supposed to know how to get itself _lost!_ "

The Doctor sighed and slowed down at the Master's truthful explanation. So maybe her blame was wrongly placed, but it still dug up old wounds she wasn't yet ready to forgive.

"Well, it's a big ship. We'd better get started," she decided curtly.

The Master lifted a brow, one of his hands falling to his hip as he blocked her path.

" _We_ don't have to do _anything_ ," he corrected sharply.

He realized his error too late.

The Doctor glared at him for a few seconds before she turned away completely to compose herself. She tightened her fists in anger, her muscles tightening all the way up to her shoulders as if she considered lashing out, but soon let it fall away into something else. Perhaps disappointed in herself for assuming the worst... or maybe just worry for her lost friend.

"Right," she finally agreed flatly.

She took another step away from the Master but he gently caught her by the hand before she could get more than a few steps away. A loose, careful grip the Doctor could easily pull away from- and yet she didn't.

It gave her reason to pause and she turned to find the Master staring up at her with bright, caring eyes- a look previously reserved only for playing a particular 'human' friend of hers.

"But I'll help you anyways," the Master promised softly. The short sentence escaped his lips even more gently than he had meant it to.

He wasn't completely sure _why_ he did it. Maybe as a show of kindness, or maybe only to reassure her that he wasn't a _complete_ monster. Even _he_ didn't have the hearts to pull such a cruel trick twice.

Or maybe because their time together _had_ meant something to him after all. The disguise was a lie but every kind word they'd exchanged was true. Those evenings lying awake and chatting and _laughing_ meant more than he could say. It reminded him of when they were young, telling stories in the dark.

All of their past meant so much, and that was why it hurt something excruciating to admit it couldn't last. To move on and take the truth over the fiction he'd created.

And yet here they still were.

Another rouse that couldn't last forever but felt so wonderful to get lost in, if only for a moment.

The Master gave the Doctor's hand a careful squeeze of reassurance. Or at least he hoped she would interpret it as such. He really was terribly bad at these things.

Before that moment, he had never realized just how harsh the betrayal had been on her, but seeing it now brought out a raw genuineness that caught even himself off guard.

He had meant for it to hurt, but never to take away from the strength of what they had together.

As he met the comforted look in the Doctor's eyes, he decided that if the Doctor needed someone supportive, even if for only today, then he supposed he could fill that role once more.

He would hate it, but it was never as fun to be his worst unless the Doctor was at her best.

The Doctor smiled at the familiar look in his eye, almost as if she let herself believe that the Master was her friend again.

And in a way, he was.

"Okay," the Doctor returned the brief squeeze of his hand before letting go.

The Master spared a sharp nod of agreement before retreating back down the hall. He needed a moment to collect himself before this hunt commenced.

-

It had been over three hours. They had each shouted 'Oh?' approximately a thousand times each, they had checked a total of over 307 rooms on 7 separate floors. They were tired.

At the approach of lunch, the Doctor and the Master regrouped in one of the many kitchens. The Doctor pulled whatever was available from the fridge while the Master gathered together dishes before the pair settled down at table, exhausted.

"I've never had this much trouble finding a human before. I'd count that as a bug in your program," the Doctor joked dryly.

"Consider it noted," the Master replied flatly.

The pair were in the middle of making their meals- which was more like cramming a bunch of leftovers onto a tortilla and calling it a day- when the Doctor's phone rang.

The Doctor quickly scrambled for her pockets.

"What day is it? I thought he had work today. Is it the weekend already?"

The Master shrugged as the Doctor scrunched up her face to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Doctor?" Ryan's voice echoed through the speaker.

"That's me! You alright?" the Doctor asked skeptically.

Ryan's voice was mostly calm but there was a hint of uncertainty to his words.

"Personally? Yeah," he began to explain, "but there's a little robot thing in my house. I don't know how it got in but it's... Doctor, I think it's tryin'a steal my gaming system? I don't know if its alien, but it seems too self aware to be made by someone on Earth. An' keeps beepin' at me when I go by it! It's been trying to steal my stuff for a good 10 minutes now, but it... it's kind if funny to watch actually.... I think my xbox is too big for it to carry," Ryan chuckled faintly.

The Doctor gasped in surprise.

"What does it look like?" she asked firmly.

"Uh..." Ryan paused, "a little dome head, like six arms or legs, an' it's got a little screen with eyes? Maybe? I haven't gotten too close to find out."

"One sec," the Doctor covered the speaker with her hand.

She slowly lowered the phone and turned to the Master with an amused smile.

"He went to _Ryan's house_ ," she said to the Master.

Unsure if she should be relieved or burst out laughing- she did both.

The Master nearly spit out his drink.

"Did you really talk about your other pets so much it got jealous?" the Master mused, "I don't _think_ I programmed it to be vengeful," the Master paused to consider the notion, "Although it _would be interesting_ if I did-"

"No, he's trying to steal a video game I think," the Doctor burst out laughing all over again, "Not sure why."

"Did you mention that you wanted a game Ryan had to it?"

The Doctor paused to search her own memory.

"I... think I did actually."

The Master gestured out a hand, "There you have it. It was trying to help. In a way, it almost makes sense."

"That _would_ be your kind of logic," the Doctor chuckled.

"Are you saying it gets _stealing_ from _me_ ," the Master teased with a playful grin.

"Oh, yes, I definitely am," the Doctor beamed.

The Master chuckled as the Doctor returned to her call.

"Yes, he's ours," the Doctor explained warmly to Ryan, "Sorry, he's a bit confused- but I think he was trying to be helpful!"

"Ours?" The Master and Ryan replied at nearly the same time.

"Yours and? Whose? The Master?" Ryan continued, innocently curious.

The Doctor didn't show a hint of embarrassment.

"Yeah," she confirmed.

"Riiight!" Ryan quickly put the pieces together, "Graham did say something about him being there- but I figured he just was visiting. I didn't know he was still hanging out with you."

"It's safest that way," the Doctor informed him without going into detail.

Luckily, Ryan was the easiest going out of her fam,

"Alright," the Doctor could practically hear the shrug in his voice, "I don't understand you guys but I'm sure you know what you're doing, Doctor. Hey- Do you want me to send anything with your little pal back to you? Yaz made these awesome muffins she sent over, I can tape a container to this little guy's head or something!"

"That sounds delicious! Yeah I-" the Doctor began before her eye caught the Master furiously shaking his head.

Her excitement quickly disappeared.

"Actually," she corrected, "better not. We'll need to decontaminate him when he gets back so that's... probably not the best idea."

Ryan sounded a little disappointed as well, but he tried not to let it dampen the conversation.

"Okay. If you're sure. But Yaz has been really careful-"

The Master suddenly chimed in, a little louder than the Doctor would have liked, "You still haven't told them?"

"What? Told us what?" Ryan asked.

The Doctor furiously shook her head and the Master sighed in response.

"You _will_ have to tell them eventually. You do realize that, don't you? It's been months!"

The Doctor tried to cover the phone but Ryan heard anyway.

"Doctor? What's he talking about? Tell us what? Are you alright?"

The Master offered out a hand, "I'll tell your humans myself if I must."

"I'm not a child!" the Doctor refused.

"Then just tell them. We're doing this _for_ them after all," he reminded her sternly.

The Doctor stood up from the table and made her way to the other side of the room. Once she had slightly more privacy, she turned her attention back to Ryan.

"Doctor?" Ryan asked nervously.

"Yeah," she reassured him with as much of her same old cheerfulness she could muster, "Sorry about the Master but... he's right. I haven't been... completely honest. I just didn't want to worry you three!"

Ryan's voice grew more serious, "Doctor, whatever it is, it's alright. I'm sure we can handle it-"

"It's... not about you. It's about us."

There was a pause and she could feel the conversation growing heavier by the moment.

"The disease... it's particularly dangerous to Time Lords. It passed through our home once before and killed mercilessly. The Master and I are shut up in the Tardis because it's safest for us not to risk coming into contact with it but... well... I didn't want to leave you and Yaz and Graham! I couldn't bear leaving and not knowing if you three were alright!"

It felt like a huge weight off her shoulders to finally admit.

To her surprise, Ryan didn't seem nearly as concerned as she had expected.

"So... that's why you haven't come to see us? Or offer to take us on some new adventure?"

"Of course it is!" the Doctor said a little louder than intended. Her mind raced to process this, "Wait- W- Did you think I was avoiding you?"

"No!" Ryan said in a way that wasn't particularly convincing, "But... I did think... it was a little strange that you only called to ask how we were and then disappeared for weeks at a time. I... did wonder if maybe this was just a boring time for you and you were skipping through it. Not that I would blame you. I'd like to skip through it myself!"

The Doctor shook her head even though he couldn't see it.

"No! Not at all! And it _is_ boring... but I couldn't just _leave!_ You three are my fam! But I also didn't want to worry you all. You have enough going on as it is!"

Ryan chuckled a little.

"You could have told us," he said gently, "but I understand. Can I mention it to the others? Or did you want to?"

"Knock yourself out," the Doctor laughed with lighter hearts than she'd had in a while, "I'm sorry I didn't explain sooner. I didn't even consider when you three must think-"

"Hey, no harm done," Ryan stopped the Doctor before she had the chance to be too hard on herself, "However, I really am worried that your robot friend is going to break my xbox. Can you tell it to stop or something?"

The Doctor laughed even louder. She hadn't realized how heavily the situation had been weighing on her. It felt good not to have the danger be a secret any longer.

"That! Right! Just tell him to go home and see if that does the trick."

"Alright, one sec," Ryan replied. His voice grew a little distant as he called to his unwelcome guest.

"Hey! Little robot buddy! Yeah, you! The Doctor says to go home!"

There was a faint series of happy beeps and the squeak of Ryan opening a door for it.

"Bye! See you some other time little guy!"

The Doctor heard the door shut and Ryan's voice was directed to her once more.

"Alright. Hopefully your pal can figure out how to get back to you," Ryan added cheerfully.

"He got all the way out there, he can get back," the Doctor replied, "You know. Probably."

Ryan chuckled, "Alright, Doctor. I'll talk to you sometime this week, yeah?"

The Doctor smiled, "Yes. Definitely. And the others too!"

"Definitely," he agreed, "Watch out for yourself, yeah?"

"You too."

"Thanks."

She hung up.

"Feel better?" The Master said sarcastically despite clearly seeing the answer written all over the Doctor face.

The Doctor grinned away and soothingly combed her fingers through her hair.

"Yeah, I do actually. Ryan's smart. They're all smart. I should have known they would understand. I don't know why I was so worried."

The Master could think of a few witty and somewhat rude things to say, but he held his tongue. If they got through this, there would be plenty of time for snide remarks later.

"I'm glad that's sorted," he replied simply as he stood up to put his plate away.

The Doctor nodded as she returned her phone to her pocket. She sat herself up on the counter and watched him for a moment before speaking up again.

"Hey, I'm... I'm sorry I accused you before. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions so quickly."

"It's alright. I've done far worse. I'd be disappointed if you suddenly started giving me the benefit of the doubt," the Master replied sincerely.

The Doctor nodded.

It was best for both of them to remember the divide between them, even in times like this.

Even when they called a truce, all the scars they'd inflicted upon each other were still there and many of them still ached. They had to remember not to be too kind, if only to protect themselves from further harm once this temporary situation eventually ended.

Still- as the Doctor knew well- hope was a difficult thing to ignore.

"I'm going to see if Oh's back yet and decontaminate him properly," the Doctor excused herself.

Once she left the room, the Master stood in silence for a moment more. It was... strange for something like this to work out so peacefully. He felt as though he should be angry but... he wasn't.

When this lockdown started, he would have never imagined that the most difficult part would be how easy it was to stay and help and provide just enough comfort to keep the Doctor steady. It also didn't hurt that they were both excellent distractions for each other.

He and the Doctor knew they should keep each other metaphorically at arm's length, but it was getting harder by the day when they already knew how to see through each other's carefully built fortifications.

Once this was over, the Doctor would leave him again. The Master was sure of it. It didn't matter how happy he made the Doctor- she would always leave and the Master's memories of her would only turn bitter and rotten once he was alone again.

Still, it was so easy to be caring when there was no one else around to interfere. Too easy for them to see each others' weaknesses and offer a solution. The glasses she had given him, the book recommendations, the company. The way she respected his need for privacy and knew that when he got riled up the best option was to let him burn himself out before she offered a solution. All those countless years together, growing up and bickering and occasionally joining forces and fighting all across the stars... it was no secret that of course they cared about each other in their own strange, twisted ways. Even stuck together like this, there was no hiding it. Not completely. And even though the Master was long past second chances, it wasn't crazy to wonder what he could do with just one more.

For a moment, the Master wondered if he could let himself be happy now when it would only intensify the unbearable agony he knew he would feel when all of this was gone.

-

"Here he is!" The Doctor announced about an hour later, the small robot all huddled up in her arms with two little arches mimicking cheerful eyes.

"All clean! I checked a half-dozen times just to be sure!" she promised with a grin, "Even the inside!"

The Master sipped the tea he'd made to calm himself and did his best not to mirror her smile.

She would leave after this. He had to remember that because he had already almost forgotten. She would find a better audience to take with her and leave and there would be no point to any of this.

Still. The Master always was self-destructive.

"Would you like to watch a movie?" the Doctor asked abruptly, "I found this one with lots of action and lots of murder! So it'll be perfect for both of us!"

The Master couldn't help but laugh under his breath. He abandoned his tea and followed her to the screening room.

"That sounds wonderful," the Master smiled fondly.

He pretended not to notice the way the Doctor's fingers caught his ever so gently as she led the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rambles about this chapter just bc:  
> So the core of this chapter was originally the second half of the previous chapter.  
> And that might have been fine, but I didn't want to skip so much development of the Doctor hanging out with Oh and her view of her relationship with the Master even though I can never quite do it justice. I could write about the Doctor and Oh hanging out for ages, but there's not really any plot there so I sorta used it as a bridge between the last chapter and this one? I don't know I just do this to help me sleep at night.  
> Anyways, I hope it doesn't read choppy because of that. I don't normally splice together events like I ended up doing here.  
> Tbh I'm still not content with this chapter but I really liked the idea of paralleling 'new Oh' with the Master's betrayal as O and the Doctor thinking this was all a set up to hurt her? And then even better: for it NOT to be? I can't help myself sometimes.  
> Uh. So yeah this chapter was a mess to organize but it was fun to write and it didn't turn out half bad lol
> 
> Kudos and comments appreciated  
> Bookmark for updates!  
> \---  
> (Edit: So the bit about the Doctor maybe having had an android boyfriend at some point is actually a little inside joke with me, myself, and I about the shalka!canon/alternate universe in which the Master is an android and stuck on the Doctor's Tardis and he and the Doctor act incredibly married lol  
> I forgot to mention it when I posted this initially, but that's the allusion/joke. In case anyone was wondering why that random bit was in there. Short answer? I think im funny)


	9. Yellow, Purple, and the Space in between

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor tries to use nail polish for the first time and things do NOT go well at ALL  
> Good thing the Master has plenty of experience.  
> \+ some chatting about past lives and the stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I offer u some soft thoschei in this trying time?
> 
> Btw I think this chapter officially puts me over 200,000 words on this account!!!  
> Can you believe that??  
> I could have written like two books by now but nope  
> Totally worth it tho lol

"What is that _smell_?" the Master grumbled to himself as he followed his noise to the kitchen up the hall. It smelled like unlit gas or lighter fluid, just waiting to be set ablaze.

If for no reason other than his own self-preservation, the Master entered through the open doorway to investigate.

The Master wasn't sure what he expected. Maybe a loose stovetop, maybe a burst pipe, but certainly not what he found.

The second he entered, the Doctor's eyes shot up to meet his. The Master found himself feeling something uncharacteristically unnerving for a fraction of a second as he took in the sight before him.

Red.

There was red everywhere. A bright red coating the tips of the Doctor's fingers, rubbed over her knuckles, and smeared down her right forearm exposed by her rolled up sleeves. More of the same was dripped all across the previously immaculate wood table before her and some had splashed onto the floor at her feet.

For a second, the Doctor just stood there, like a deer in the headlights, before a breathy smile fell from her lips. It was a smile that didn't dull the panic in her eyes, but was determined to make light of her awkward predicament.

"It _may_ have gotten away from me," she attempted to joke. She turned away from the Master and her smile fell as she clearly had no idea what to do now.

"By all the stars- I am NOT having you regenerate on my watch!"

In seconds, the Master graced the few strides between them and grabbed the Doctor's wrist forcefully. He barely had time to process the situation before his worst and best survival instincts took over.

This version of himself was already quite warmed to _this_ Doctor, thank you very much. He was in no rush to take another gamble with the next one.

The Master was surprised as, upon further inspection, the Doctor appeared to be just fine. Her skin was unbroken and the sticky substance clinging to her certainly wasn't blood. He let go of her sharply and stared down at the smear of red on his own fingers. No, certainly not blood- although it wasn't a terrible imitation.

"Yaz was telling me about these crafts you can make with nail polish so I thought I'd try it out but it's way more difficult that I thought it'd be and then I spilled it and I tried to clean it up but my remover isn't working- if anything I think it just _chemically bonded_ with the polish and it made a mess and now I can't touch anything-

She stopped abruptly again, her hands out- clearly itching to fix the situation- and yet absolutely clueless about the _how_.

"Nail polish," the Master echoed thoughtfully, slowly coming down from the sharp high of believing the Doctor was bleeding to death.

"And what the hell did you try to clean it up with?"

The Master angrily swiped a strange tin of something-or-other off the table.

"What is this? Stain remover? This looks like what you use to strip paint off of wood!"

"It's what I use to clean the Tardis- and it always works just fine! How was I supposed to know it wouldn't work on nail polish?" the Doctor defended.

"Doctor-" the Master huffed, exasperated but trying to remember his temper.

"Doctor, you used this on _nail_ polish. On your _skin_."

"So?" the Doctor blinked, "It's all purpose!"

The Master took a deep, slow breath, allowing his eyes to close for a moment.

"Doctor, this is a _metal_ cleaner you used on _organic_ skin. The risk of chemical burns alone-"

The Doctor's eyes widened immediately and within seconds, she raced over to the nearest sink, smearing more red over the handles as she turned on the tap.

"How you can be so smart and yet so incredibly stupid is beyond me," the Master sighed.

"You're one to talk!" the Doctor retorted with a bit of a nervous laugh.

The Master shook his head with a small smile, something warm in his deep brown eyes that stayed locked on the Doctor while she furiously cleansed her hands of the dangerous chemicals.

After a moment, the Master remembered himself and let his gaze drift across the table once more, one hand in his side pocket.

"I'll go find the _correct_ remover to clean this up with, shall I?

He didn't wait for the Doctor's preoccupied mind to catch up before disappearing.

The Master returned several minutes later with a bottle he'd found in the Tardis salon- although why there was a salon at all he wasn't quite certain- as well as several small cotton sheets he'd found in the same cabinet as the polish remover.

He loudly dumped the supplies on the counter- which had yet to be covered in polish and cleaning chemicals- and casually leaned against it as he waited for the Doctor to finish cleansing her hands as much as water and soap could manage.

She dried them off with a paper towel, the viscosity of the red stains akin to wet paint and still relentless.

The Doctor made her way the short distance to the Master, and watched him as he dampened the cloths with a sharp-but-not-as-terrible clear liquid. She examined him, trying to figure out an ulterior motive, but found none in his deep brown eyes. She just watched the way his gaze remained in partial shadow from the way he styled his carefully kept hair.

"Promise you'll tell me the _second_ anything hurts," the Master demanded, although there was a kindness in the meaning of his actual words.

After a moment, he continued, "That cleaner you were using looks safe enough, but I guess you could say I wouldn't wish chemical burns on my best enemy," the Master chuckled lightheartedly.

His eyes didn't meet the Doctor's again for a while as he analyzed the situation with intense focus.

The Doctor didn't have time to think up a reply before the Master gingerly pulled the Doctor's right hand into his own. The gracefulness of it was reminiscent of a foreign leader upon meeting a powerful queen in those old films the Doctor's fam sometimes roped her into watching.

After a moment of checking the Doctor for any obvious signs of burns and concluding that she seemed well enough, the Master picked up two of the cloths soaked in remover.

He put one in his own palm that he then held the Doctor's knuckles again, and then set another cloth on the Doctor's upturned palm. He then placed his second hand over top that and paused like that for a long moment, the Doctor's hand nestled comfortably between his own.

The Doctor's hands were cold- from the water, and the careful way she'd been holding them away from her body, and now from the cool remover against her skin- but the Master's were not. They were quite warm actually and were quite comfortable to have against the Doctor's hand.

When the remover finally began to take, the Master swapped out the sheets for two clean ones and continued the process. He rubbed carefully at the worst patches of half-dried stains with his own fingers and continued persistently.

He barely took stock of the gentle nature of his actions as he continued his one man war against the horrid red color. The striking shade reminded him of things he strongly preferred not to dwell on in the present, and so he was quite determined to be rid of it as soon as possible. Still, he had to watch for any lingering signs of a deeper damage to the Doctor's skin, and so against his nature he did his best to be patient.

He was thankful when the stains began to transfer from the Doctor's skin to the cloths instead. For a moment, he had worried that the remover might have lost its potency against the blend of chemicals.

"Don't you do this again," the Master growled after a while of metaphorical chipping away. 

"I'll... get you a better polish than this gunk, and I'll do it myself if I have to. I know how _damn_ stubborn you can be once you get an idea in your head."

Another pause, and the Doctor didn't interrupt him as he mused, his eyes somewhere distant.

"I'll get those ones that stick on- What are they called? Not the fake ones but the... glorified stickers. I'll get you some of those. We'll do that- None of this _abomination_. And certainly not _red_."

The Master finished up his work, checking over every little groove of the Doctor's palms that had caught the horrid color. Once he deemed his work complete, he simply dropped her hand.

He simply turned to the counter he has been leaning back again, discarded the cloths with the others, and readied a few more. He was still focused on preparation when he held out a hand expectedly.

When the Doctor didn't immediately cooperate, the Master swiveled his head about to her. His eyes met hers, abruptly shifting to the present once more. He blinked his long lashes for a moment, his mind still mostly elsewhere and annoyed to have his thought process interrupted.

"Do you want this mess cleaned up or not?" the Master asked simply.

The Doctor nodded and rolled her eyes as she turned away, but offered her other hand to him.

"Good choice," the Master said flatly, as if she was complying with some kind of ultimatum rather than accepting his help.

The Master's help... that was a new one. You can see why the Doctor was hesitant.

The Master completed the process over again, taking the Doctor's hand between his own, the soft cloth a needed buffer between them.

There were things to say- and even more they should really address- but something like this felt too precarious to risk ruining with words.

So the Master stayed focused on his meditative work and the Doctor did her best not to think about how wonderful the soothing circles being pressed into her palms felt. And even more over, tried not to wonder why the Master's touch felt so much more soothing than any other.

Only when every touch of red was pulled from the Doctor's skin did the Master let go. Only after her soft but well-calloused hands were clean and calmingly warm and well-massaged, did the Master let her fall from his grasp once more.

The air was still and peaceful, something unspoken but wonderfully right about the space between them. The Master paused for a moment, and then simply said "I'll be right back" and disappeared.

The Doctor stood in the silence for a long minute or so. She locked her hands in her own, but it wasn't nearly the same. It was pointless to miss something so brief, but she did all the same.

She could still feel it, the perfect warmth of his hands against hers. And all at once, she realized that the Master's fingers had worked out the frustrating pinch between her thumb and forefinger on her left hand. It had been irritating her on and off for months now, and suddenly it was fine.

The Master returned not long later. The calm nature had faded and he appeared to be restored to his old self again.

"I had the Tardis make these," the Master offered out three small plastic sheets to her. The Doctor was surprised to find little fingernail-shaped stickers in various prints across the pages. There were three options in all, one was almost clear with little yellow flowers and green leaves, another resembled the colorful mess of a supernova, and the third was a simple but gorgeous shimmering metallic purple.

The Master took one of the purple stickers and pressed it to his pointer finger to demonstrate.

"See? Glorified stickers. _Much_ more your speed," the Master explained.

He then held up that same nail by itself in a 'hold on a second' gesture and reached for a small clear bottle in his pocket.

"And if you still want the mess fun of a liquid kind, here's a quick-dry coating you can put over top."

He then set the tiny bottle down on the counter between them along with the rest of the stickers.

The Doctor picked them up in fascination and looked them over.

"These look great!" the Doctor beamed.

The tiniest of smiles passed over the Masters lips, but he quickly turned away.

"I suppose I'll get to fixing your mess," he hummed thoughtfully.

The Doctor caught his hand before he could get more than a step away. The Master spun about sharply at her touch.

"Wait- Can I do yours?" the Doctor asked innocently.

The Master's eyes widened with surprise, but after contemplating the offer for a moment he couldn't think of any reason to refuse.

"If... you'd like," he eventually said, his eyes searching the Doctor's for some deeper reason. He couldn't find one.

The Doctor took the items from the counter and settled herself down on the floor. It reminded the Master faintly of when the two of them used to hide between the tall shelves of the Academy library.

The Doctor then took the Master's left hand to continue his work. She picked out a space print for the next finger and the Master didn't bother to point out that it really didn't match the purple nail next to it.

The Doctor applied the sticker a little more off center than the Master would have liked, but he couldn't be bothered to care. It was _the Doctor_ after all. If the Master expected perfection, he already knew this was not the place to find it.

And he was okay with that.

The Doctor beamed away at her work, such joy over such a simple thing. The Master found himself at a loss for words and indulged himself in the feeling of her touch. It was almost overwhelming, but a part of him longed to get lost in it nonetheless.

The Doctor picked a sticker with the yellow flowers to put on next. This one _definitely_ didn't match the others, but the Master didn't mind it all the same. The Doctor carefully stuck it into place and continued alternating the pattern until every finger on both his hands were covered.

Although the Master never got completely used to it, he learned to relax against her gentle grasp. Any touch was a stranger to him after lifetimes alone, but the Doctor's had a lingering sense of safety that he was warming to.

"How do I apply the clear coat?" the Doctor then asked.

The Master opened the small bottle carefully and showed her on one of his fingers. His hands were a little shakier than previous regenerations, but he was calmer now in the safety of a Tardis on a quiet evening, so the tremor thankfully wasn't as obvious as usual. He managed to make it through without missing his mark too terribly.

The Doctor caught on quickly now that she had seen the correct way, and applied it on the rest of the Master's fingers as if she hadn't made a mess of it earlier that day.

Once she was completely finished, the Master examined the finished project. If he had a little less self-control, he would have grinned.

It ebbed at the pain and hatred in his hearts and made room for something else to fill the space. Something small and underdeveloped, like a tiny flower of kindness struggling to grow in the dark. Something that needed to be cared for gently like this, and yet he hadn't even known it was there at all until now.

"Your hands should be dry by now," the Master switched gears as fast as he possibly could, "You can work on your own now."

Own hands. She could work on her _own_ hands now. Not... not _on_ her own. But the words got all tangled up anyways.

The Doctor didn't notice.

"Yeah! We can work on my nails next!" she agreed happily, "Think you can do my left hand? I'm not as ambidextrous as I used to be. Actually, I haven't been ambidextrous in a while! But either way, these hands certainly aren't," she laughed.

"N... No," the Master said, hesitating just a little.

Things had been going so smoothly up until this point and now he was getting in his own head about it. Why did he have to hesitate? He'd been doing so good at being cold and heartless-

"What? Why not? I mean- You don't have to of course. But I thought-"

"It's..." the Master closed his eyes for a brief second and shook his head as he scolded himself, "I can't _believe_ I'm saying this."

He then opened them once more and rolled his eyes as he held out one hand to the Doctor. It shook noticeably, even when the Master did everything in his power to relax it. And it wasn't even at its worst today.

"What? _Oh_ ," the Doctor nodded.

The Master nodded in confirmation.

"Cause your nails are wet and you don't want to mess them up! I almost forgot for a moment-" the Doctor concluded cheerfully.

The Master sighed, his words leaving with more weight than he had intended for them too, "Because my hands are _shaky_ , Doctor."

The Doctor froze in the middle of picking out a sticker for her own nails to look at him.

The Master wasn't sure what kind of response he was expecting. Maybe questions. Probably questions. He expected her to ask him _why_ at the very least. If it was from an old injury, or if it was something she could _fix_ , or- at the very least- diagnose. He was surprised when the Doctor didn't reply with any of those options.

"That's alright!" the Doctor said happily, "It doesn't have to be perfect! But I understand if you'd rather not, I'm sure I can figure it out. Will you stay a bit longer anyways?"

That beaming smile that accompanied her words, the careful way she took his hand once more despite there being no reason to, the incredibly genuine warmth in her shining eyes- the Master suddenly felt his hearts fall all over again, and harder than he could ever recall them falling before.

"Yeah," the Master breathed an agreement. His eyes quickly fell away as his ears began to burn.

Thousands of years and part of him hoped he would never get used to it.

The Doctor simply grinned and the soothing silence returned, calmer than ever.

Like the Doctor's touch, it was blissful and yet almost overwhelming at the same time. The Master briefly wondered if it was possible for his hearts to give out from the strain of it all.

The Doctor pulled her hand away, needing both of them to continue her work.

"I'll... make tea," some spontaneous part of the Master's mind decided to say, "once my nails are dry... I'll make tea."

Yes, that would be a reasonable excuse to stick around. And it would be something to distract himself with. Yeah he would make tea.

"Okay!" the Doctor nodded, "I like-"

"I know how you like it-" the Master stopped her sharper than he had intended. His systems were in overdrive, he hadn't had time to stop himself.

The Doctor looked up at him one more and the Master could feel them burn into his skin, so he continued.

"You've... told me," he added.

"Have I?"

"Yes, you were quite passionate about different types of tea one evening," the Master reminded her.

The Doctor's face lit up.

"Yes! That! Because we had tea at Yaz's and it was terrible! I used to like the kind of tea she had! I really did! But not anymore. It's always a lottery, that sort of thing. Taste, looks, preferences."

"I don't think you've done half bad," the Master said flatly, testing if his own nails felt dry enough yet. It was getting close.

"You, neither," the Doctor chuckled, "Especially considering."

The Master chuckled and his gaze snapped up to her once more.

"Considering?"

"Considering some of your attempts to cheat death haven't been too kind to you."

The Master nearly laughed, "That was _ages_ ago! I can't believe you would say that!"

And just like that, the feeling between them settled right back into place.

"It's true," the Doctor replied.

"Don't you dare go talking about past lives right now."

"Does this one really pale in comparison?" the Doctor misinterpreted his words.

The Master shook his head and corrected his meaning,

"Oh please, you're in the top five."

"Top five!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"Of the ones I know well."

The Doctor nearly burst out laughing.

"Okay, now I have to know who's in the top five!"

The Master began to laugh in response.

"I don't know-"

"Well who was your favorite?" the Doctor asked curiously.

The Master smiled fondly.

"Oh that's easy."

"Really? I don't think I could pick a favorite of yours."

"That's such a lie."

"Nevermind that, which of mine is your favorite?" the Doctor asked, dying to know.

The Master grinned a goofy little smile.

"The first of you I met, of course. The one that made me _want_ to meet everyone you would later become."

The Doctor laughed wholeheartedly at that.

"You're ridiculous."

"Alright, so which of _my_ selves is your favorite?" the Master asked, although he was a little nervous to dare to.

The Doctor just smiled knowingly.

"I like them all for different reasons! It's not fair to pick a favorite."

"That's a terrible answer!"

"Well, it's true. Plus without any of them, you wouldn't be the person you are today. And I quite like that one as well."

The Master shook his head. He was grinning wildly, but he hated the Doctor's so-very-her answer all the same.

"You're such an idiot," he said simply.

The Doctor was grinning too, her warm eyes on his.

The Master turned away from her, still laughing as he stood up and turned to find the electric kettle. There must be one in the kitchen somewhere.

There was another pause, but by now they were getting quite used to the comfortable silences.

"We should take the tea to the observatory. Watch the stars this evening," the Doctor suggested as she finished her own nails, an inverse pattern to the Master's.

The Master smiled to himself.

He knew exactly where the observatory was. He knew every room in this enormous place with ease. Still, he also knew how much the Doctor loved to show off somewhere new.

"There's an observatory?"

The Master turned to see the Doctor's face stretch into the widest of smiles.

"Yes, and it's gorgeous this time around! You're going to love it!"

The Master breathed a small smile as he set up two mugs for tea.

"I'm sure you're right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably post in the order I had planned on but uh... how about no lol  
> I hope it reads consistently considering things should be more tense at this point in the overall arc- but I wanted soft content so you get soft content.
> 
> Unrelated but: Candace Against the Universe is out! It's so good to see the gang again and it's so wholesome and the songs??? It's totally worth watching if you can. I'm a HUGE Phineas and Ferb fan so this is literally all that matters to me rn tbh  
> I totally recommend it.
> 
> Heads up:  
> Updates might slow down a little with my classes starting up again. It's hard to say exactly how it'll go at this point but I'll do my best to keep posting when I can. Thanks for understanding.


	10. Mind+Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> '/This is definitely one of the most ridiculous ideas you've ever had,/' the Master snickered for the upteenth time through a half-suppressed chuckle.  
> He and the Doctor had been lounging peacefully about in the library that afternoon, but after all these months the steady passage of day after day was getting to them. The slipping moments of time pulled at their all too self-aware forms until the stillness of it all threatened to drive them up the walls.  
> The Doctor's solution?  
> Hide and Seek, using their telepathic abilities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I say this every time but THIS ONE might be my favorite chapter so far lol  
> This one REALLY got away from me but I love the ride
> 
> Oh btw very mild mention of blood.  
> (It's only a minor injury really, but I always try to mention anything that might upset anyone beforehand, just as a courtesy.)

' _This is definitely one of the most ridiculous ideas you've ever had,_ ' the Master snickered for the upteenth time through a half-suppressed chuckle.

He and the Doctor had been lounging peacefully about in the library that afternoon, but after all these months the steady passage of day after day was getting to them. The slipping moments of time pulled at their all too self-aware forms until the stillness of it all threatened to drive them up the walls.

The Doctor's solution?

Hide and Seek, using their telepathic abilities.

Two thousand or so years ago, these abilities were sacred and highly respected. The art of translating abstract concepts, feelings, and ideas was a highly coveted skill that took decades to develop and hundreds of years to perfect. However, the Doctor and the Master rarely listened to rules of _any_ sort- and they'd had _thousands_ of shared years to finetune their abilities.

The bond between them was ancient and ran deeper than any other before them. Where some Time Lords had learned to create little temporary ledges which allowed them to step across the divide from their own mind to another's- the structure between the Master and the Doctor was something far more advanced.

It was a bridge built by a shared love of their universe and all its mysteries, reinforced by time and carved from something unbreakable in the lonely halls of the Academy. Something that no amount of neglect nor purposeful vandalism could corrode. No matter how much destruction it suffered, no matter how long it was between meetings on it, the structure was built to last.

And it was absolutely tested. It was set ablaze on various occasions. It had multiple sledge-hammer-equivalents taken to it. It had been desecrated by both parties time and time again, each desperate to break the bond for one reason or another, and yet after every incident it only grew back stronger than ever before. What damage did manage to scratch its pristine build was always mended in the end, and this cycle continued over and over again until the land on both sides was well scorched and yet the structure between them held fast.

It was seamless. The numerous steps taken back and forth across it by so many different shoes of the same two people had worn the path completely smooth, like parallel grooves worn into a stone path by persistence and time. The bridge between them was unshakable, indestructible, and so aged that no one could find for certain where one side ended and the other began, as if there had never been a divide between them at all.

Completely different sides, and yet one undoubtedly interwoven joining of the two. The most ancient connection in history, the likes of which would awe any with the ability to perceive it- and yet the two of them played on it like children looking over the edge of a pedestrian bridge to admire the beautiful fish below.

' _Oi, don't complain! We both know you have the advantage,_ ' the Doctor snapped cheerfully over the open line.

She turned on various electronics- radios and televisions alike- as she raced to her hiding spot.

The Master had always had more of a knack for telepathy than the Doctor and they both knew it. In an attempt to level the playing field, the Doctor chose to play to her strengths and rely on ingenuity rather than skill. If her theory was right, then the introduction of extra audio should muffle the Master's senses and make her more difficult to find. Fun wasn't fun without a challenge after all.

In case it wasn't clear already, the Doctor was currently the one hiding while the Master searched the enormous ship that was the Tardis. She had elected to go first- mostly as proof of concept that her crazy suggestion was genuinely a good idea, and partially because she knew that the Master would definitely play along if she gave him the excuse to playfully torment her.

It had worked- and thus the Doctor was currently hiding herself away in a ceiling crawl-space over one of the main halls. She highly doubted the Master knew there was enough space up there for her to hide in, so he would never think to look. Furthermore, this spot allowed the Doctor easy access to the next floor up. Once the Master got close, she could easily climb through the divide and- with any luck- throw the Master off her trail.

As the Doctor heard the Master cross the floor above her- and felt the waves of satisfaction emanate from his mind to hers- the Doctor was elated to be proven right about this idea. Even as ridiculous as it was, and as big and difficult-to-hide as they had gotten, it was still a thrill. They were both stubborn and competitive enough to make it enough of a challenge for each other to be enjoyable.

' _You think you're so clever,_ ' the Doctor felt the Master's words find their way through her mind. His voice spoke as harshly as ever, but the feeling acquainted with it was something warm and familiar.

It was all part of the game, trying to draw her out, trying to get a reply that would help him get a more precise fix on her location.

The Master continued,

' _You're listening to... I don't know the song, but it's certainly not playing on this floor,_ ' the Master reasoned over their connection, obviously trying to gauge her reaction.

The Doctor felt his movements via their link. All his senses- the sound of his own steps, the soft touch of metal to his hand and the sound it made- she could feel it all as if his actions were her own. He was going downstairs by the sound and the familiar shape of railing pressed into his hand. Good, he was getting closer.

The Doctor could practically feel him pause. For a brief second, the only thing in the air was their racing heartbeats. Then he spoke over the link once more,

' _Your heartrate’s gone up-_ ' his steps descending the stairs sped up, ' _I'm getting closer. Perfect._ '

The Doctor choked back a chuckle as she slid the board between floors open and climbed up to the floor the Master had just left. She succeeded in almost-silently fitting the sheet of metal back into the floor and then climbed onto a dresser so she could reach the next crawlspace up.

The more floors she could put between them the more time she could buy herself.

It really was fun. It gave her the kick she had been missing, that bit of fear and rush of adrenaline that came hand in hand with saving the Earth. This wasn't the same- but it was almost better because... well... there was no real danger. No risk of humans she might not be able to save, no the life-or-death decisions, no penalty for making a mistake. This was simply a thrilling game in all the best ways; and the beat of the Master's hearts echoing in her ears made it all the more exhilarating.

' _Better hurry up before the song changes,_ ' the Doctor mocked lightheartedly.

Her hearts skipped a beat to mirror the Masters' as he burst into the room now-below the Doctor's feet and located a small radio playing the song he had heard in the Doctor's mind.

' _Shame you couldn't be so lucky,_ ' the Master announced, believing this meant he had cornered her, ' _I know you're here._ '

The flood of joy rushing through the Doctor's body felt incredible. She always did love the satisfaction of proving the Master wrong. However, he caught her burst of emotion on his end as well and responded accordingly.

' _You think I'm wrong?_ ' he observed, his voice like a song and dripping with amusement.

' _I know you're wrong,_ ' the Doctor teased, pride bursting from her every word, ' _you'll have to be faster than that!_ '

She could feel a small vibration at her throat almost as if it were her own; a half-thoughtful-hum half-determined growl caught deep in the Master's throat. She smiled at the way the enthusiastic sound passed warmly to her upper sternum.

The Doctor had made it safely to the next floor up the moment the Master had left, and now she grinned as she removed the panel overhead leading to another stretch of crawlspace. It was a sly strategy, but a brilliant and effective one nonetheless.

' _That song!_ ' the Master announced sharply, ' _I just heard it! You cheater! How did you get up there so fast?!_ '

The Doctor could hear the Master race up the stairs once more and she barely had time to return the panel to its place before the Master burst out into the hall.

"This time I've got you. I _know_ it," he taunted out loud. The Doctor could see him below, slowly making his way down the golden-lit hall. His eyes slowly scanned over the closed doors along either wall and felt at his connection to the Doctor like a spider on a web.

He stepped about slowly and paused before each door to see if he could elicit some reaction from the Doctor which he could use to further pinpoint her location. A hand reaching for a door handle and a breath of relief meant the Doctor wasn't in that one, but if she reacted at all then she knew where he was and she couldn't be far.

"Come on now, Doctor," she heard the Master continue as she removed the hatch that led to the next floor up, "You can't hide forever."

' _I think you're enjoying this a little too much,_ ' she mocked him as she dragged herself up into the next floor up.

This one opened up not into another hallway... but a garden.

The Doctor hadn't even realized the Tardis had a garden.

The enormous room was one of a few aligned with the Tardis windows. Genuine daylight poured into the beautiful room and illuminated the raised plots of overgrown wild flowers and colorful earth-tone brick.

The plants were full and on stunning display, bright red and blue blossoming flowers, young trees with green and maroon leaves alike, and foliage of both deep purple and patterned yellow and green leaves all flooded the room with bursts of color. They all poured from their containers and ran untamed about the room, bathed in the evening glow. The sight was incredibly beautiful.

The Doctor sat herself down on one of the raised brick borders that trimmed one of the raised garden beds as she caught her breath. She was easily a few minutes ahead anyways. She could take a quick breather and take in the magnificent sight.

' _Maybe just a little,_ ' the Master smiled in response, ' _It has been rather dull lately- Ow!_ '

The Master articulated the Doctor's thoughts as she flinched sharply in pain. A sharp bit of the brick had caught her skin and cut open the left side of her right hand. She hissed quietly through the mild stinging feeling.

' _What the- oh, that was you. Wait is that- That smell- Are you in the garden?_ '

' _You knew we had a garden?!_ ' the Doctor asked in surprise.

She could hear the Master's steps approaching the room before she heard his reply.

He resumed speaking out loud as he pushed open the door and entered the spacious room with gusto.

"Of course I knew there was a garden! Searching this place was one of the first things I did when I got here. You never know what terribly useful items might be aboard a ship such as this, all ripe for the picking," he beamed pridefully, "I probably know this place better than you _ever_ have."

Normally the Doctor would humor him, but her injury was irritatingly severe. She ignored his dramatic entrance in search of a nearby garden hose. She turned on the tap and used it to wash the blood from her hands. It wasn't much, but it would be a hassle to get out of her clothes if she didn't stop the bleeding soon.

"Congratulations," the Doctor huffed sarcastically.

There was a pause and the Doctor was too distracted by the sting in her own mind to pick up on whatever the Master was thinking.

She didn't notice the Master reach into one of his pockets and pull out a small box. She only looked up when she heard the sound of the small item being skid across the brick in her direction.

It stopped just within her reach and she stared down at it for a long moment before shutting the water off.

"What's that?" the Doctor's question cut through the almost-silence as the last of the water trickled down the drain.

The Master's face scrunched, gave a bit of a shrug, and briefly ran a hand over his jaw before letting it settle on his hip.

"First aid kit," he finally stated flatly.

He switched topics twice as fast and did his best to pick up where their banter had left off.

"Hurry up, I've already figured out the best place to hide! Although I do admire your tactic of using the various music sources to throw me off. That was a good one."

The Doctor didn't acknowledge the last few sentences.

"You carry around a first aid kit?" she asked in disbelief. She wasn't sure why she was surprised, but it didn't seem very _him_. And even less so to dare admit it.

The Master rolled his eyes, clearly not thrilled that she was putting a damper on his good time. The Doctor could see him build his defenses back up at the question and she immediately regretted asking. To her surprise, the Master answered all the same, something more defensive to his words now.

"In my line of work I tend to get injured from time to time so yes, I carry a few things with me," he then added a little pointedly, "You _do_ remember getting me shot not so long ago, don't you?"

He gestured faintly to her with one hand, his palm down. The other remained on his hip.

The Doctor shook her head slightly and tried to hide the way the reminder prodded at her hearts, "You really need to let that go. I didn't even shoot you!"

"Ah, I see," the Master hissed sarcastically. His defenses rebuilt and his playful words melted back into dark humor and fury, "So because one of your pets did it instead of you- _that_ makes it okay!"

"I already told you, I didn't know she was going to do that," the Doctor reasoned, "And you do realize _you're_ the one who walked in and started killing people, right? She was..." the Doctor paused to search for the right word, "She was scared! She just used what was at her disposal and..." the Doctor's words drifted off, her hearts not really in them, "you were just... unlucky."

The Master snickered and turned away. Any lingering hint of fun was very obviously gone and a barely-contained fury took its place. He had a grasp on it for now, but the Doctor wondered how long he could maintain it without slipping.

"It's not like I was _actually_ going to kill her," he growled, "It would have put too much strain on the timeline."

The Doctor's face scrunched up as she considered this. She couldn't hide her surprise as she turned to meet his reluctant eyes.

"Really? Wait- You knew that when you came after us?"

The Master shrugged nonchalantly and took a seat on the nearby brick, a large tree protectively looming over him. He tossed one ankle over his knee and crossed his arms for a brief moment before leaning forwards on his elbows instead. He let the spike of rage roll off his shoulders as he thoughtfully opted for an honest reply,

"Yes, of course," he sighed, "I did pay _some_ attention in school you know. _One of us_ had to. Messing up centuries of history- even if it _is_ petty human matters- is usually far more trouble than it's worth. Plus- I rather like what they've done with computers," he paused and stared off into the distance to debate the topic with himself. He pressed lips pressed together in consideration and let his eyes wander over the colorful brick pattern as he waited for the Doctor to finish up.

The Doctor looked over her injury once more. Despite holding pressure on the wound with her other hand, it was still bleeding quite profusely. She would need at least another minute or so.

"Oh stop being so dramatic!" the Master leapt up with a bit of excessive flair, his limited patience showing through as an outburst, "You do realize you can just heal yourself, don't you?" he practically spat the words.

His grasp slipped. He'd been having such a nice time that he'd very nearly forgotten _why_ it had been so long since they'd had fun like this together. It was because the Doctor always cast him aside and the Master now knew for certain that she always would. And still, despite it all, he kept letting himself cling to these little games he loved so dearly. He was enraged by it all but at no one more than himself for constantly falling victim to this false hope that he and the Doctor could stay like this.

Not having the proper skill to pick up the Master's deeper thought process: the Doctor genuinely considered the Master's suggestion. It was an interesting proposition and it would be even more interesting if he was right.

Curious to a fault, the Doctor summoned together some regeneration energy and gathered the terrifying golden glow into her hand.

Sure enough, the wound healed almost instantly. The edges of her broken skin pressed back together as if nothing had happened. Still, she was new at this technique. She had a hard enough time trying to keep her regenerations under control, this was just as- if not more- terrifying. She examined the golden lights dance under her skin carefully and strained to maintain the regenerative energy without launching it into full-blown regeneration mode.

The Master froze where he stood only a few steps away, his eyes locked onto her in wonder and awe.

The Doctor stood up and moved closer to him, still holding one hand carefully in the other as if the other worldly energy was something incredibly fragile nestled in her palm. His usual unshakable confidence faded from his eyes at the sight of her abilities in action. Something about seeing the Doctor like this, seeing the evidence of what he'd only known before as theory, solidify as indisputable fact. He didn't know what else to do than stare.

"Let me see," the Doctor requested gently, her eyes remaining locked onto keeping her volatile ability at peace like a fragile baby bird rather than a universe shattering new ability.

"What?" the Master's eyes widened. They flickered sharply from the Doctor's hands to her eyes as his racing mind returned to reality. 

"Your shoulder, where you got shot. Let me see," the Doctor requested.

To her surprise, the Master stepped back sharply.

"N-.... No," he said firmly, "I don't want your pity."

"I- I want to fix it!" the Doctor reasoned.

The Master scoffed and backed away further, his hands up to defend himself if need be.

"No, you just want to forgive _yourself_ for what you did to me," he refuted mercilessly, "Fixing me won't save you from your mistakes, Doctor."

The Doctor didn't have a good response to that.

The Master was right, and the Doctor knew it too. Nevertheless, if the Doctor had the ability to heal even a little of the pain she felt responsible for, then helping her old friend felt like as good a place to start as any.

"I... I know," the Doctor took a deep breath. "I won't forgive myself anyways if that helps," she confessed.

Her words left her lips with an empty feeling because there was no proper way to convey the pain it caused her.

The Master's eyes drifted off. He paused and flicked his tongue over his lips before replying... softly.

Just moments ago he had been so angry. So furious to be reminded of the Doctor's ability and the very idea that she was different. Yet at the sight of the Doctor's own disappointment in herself, the sight of her actually admitting her faults, the sight of her _listening_ to him for once.... and even despite the truth in her hands before him; his fury melted away.

She had agreed with him so there was no point in arguing the subject anyways.

Against the Master's better judgement, he continued with a painful honesty,

"Doctor... I have far more scars than that one," he dropped the weight onto the Doctor's hearts like he was taking a brick to the back of her head, "You do remember subsequently stranding me in Paris... Don't you?"

The question hurt. So much so that it sharply reminded them both of the depths to which their minds were still intertwined. For a long moment, which bits of agony belonged to whom were indistinguishable. The strength of it caught them both by surprise.

They could feel the raw truth between them.

The Doctor was furious with herself for her mistakes. Everyone makes them, but hers hurt far more lives than most and for that, she felt she was still a world away from deserving forgiveness. She kept trying to be better, hoping that maybe in time, she could become someone who _was_ worth forgiving.

And the Master felt his own burning rage for the people who hurt him and even the weight of everything he'd done in retaliation. The pain he had been put through because of the Doctor- by the Time Lords, by humans, by the Kasaavin, by the Doctor herself. And- as numb as he was- he could still feel the burden of the torment he caused. All that suffering he had inflicted, and yet none of it ever quite filled the hole left by what had been taken from him.

The clash of them both together was almost debilitating. It felt like all their running and playing had finally caused them to run directly into each other at full speed, overwhelming them both and threatening to drag their broken hearts under the waves of pain and rage they had created.

They were forced to break off their connection before it became unbearable.

There was a pause as they separated completely and collected themselves individually. A long moment passed in silence as they both refused to acknowledge each other.

Finally, the Doctor spoke.

"I... thought you had an escape plan," the Doctor admitted gently and did her best to ignore the many deeper issues at play, "I've seen you escape worse I... I didn't know you would really be stranded. I was just so angry, I don't know what I was thinking. I know that's no excuse I... I don't know."

the Doctor's hands fell away and the last of the golden energy at her fingertips faded.

The Master still refused to look at her, even as they each scolded themselves internally. The Master for falling for this nonsense over and over again in this broken cycle and the Doctor for not knowing how to fix any of it.

What _was_ she thinking back then? And what was she thinking to bring this up now? Just when things between them were settling she just _had_ to muddy the water again.

This wasn't how she'd meant for it to happen, for it all to suddenly collapse onto itself like this- in a moment when they had let their guards down perhaps a little too much.

The Doctor shook the thought away sharply. She had to do something, anything, to break the same old agonizing pattern. At the end of the day, they only ever had each other and if the fact that they were both still standing in this gorgeous garden wasn't proof of that then she didn't know what was.

All at once, she realized what she needed to do. It was the same thing the Doctor suddenly realized the Master had always been trying to do. She had to level the playing field.

The Doctor crossed the room to where the brick had initially cut her. In one sharp movement, the Doctor locked her jaw and slid her hand against the same sharp edge she had healed from just moments ago.

The wound was worse this time, bleeding more profusely than before. The blood dripped along the brick floor as she returned to pick up the first aid kit the Master had offered her. The gash reached across the entire side of her palm, but this time she wasn't bothered by it.

The Master immediately acknowledged her again once he realized what she'd done.

"Why the _hell_ did you do that?!" the Master demanded, his fury slipping completely from his grasp and out into the open air without restraint.

The Doctor simply took a large band aid from the small box and placed it over the wound. She turned back to the Master and extended the item out to him with her injured hand. Her breath was a little shaky, but there wasn't a hint of regret in her eyes.

"I thought you said we have a game to get back to!" the Doctor grinned despite the dull pain in her hand.

The Master only continued to stare for a long moment.

"Why...."

"Because I don't want to be more than you."

Her words cut through the air like a knife. All these months with neither of them bringing it up and now it was finally out in the open. The Master's anger and confusion fell away in an instant.

"I don't want you to _think_ that I'm more than you. I'm not more than you. I meant what I said; that I am more now than I've ever been before, more than I ever thought or knew. I am, and I won't let the truth of my past break the person I am now, this person who I've worked so very hard to become. An imperfect person, but a better version of myself than ever before. That's all true, but I should have never said that I'm more _than you_."

The Doctor's eyes drifted over the lapels of the Master's waistcoat as an excuse not to see the hurt in his eyes.

He remained quiet, quite shocked truth be told. The Doctor took the opportunity and continued,

"I don't want to be like you, that bit's true too. You're always so angry and you lash out at the world for hurting you- I could never bare to be like that so I've always tried to be better, I always try to fix everything instead."

She looked up to the Master once more, their eyes level and equally as glassy,

"I might be a little different than you, but I'm certainly not more. I don't want to be more, and I never have. I want to be a better person, yes, I want us both to become better than the people we were before because that's what life is all about- but it's always been _our game_. It's always been our universe and we've always been a balance for each other.

I don't want to tip the scales. I _don't want to be more_. I would be so lonely if I was."

The Doctor wished her words could suddenly fix it all. She wished this could be enough and he would just accept her past because she couldn't change it even though she would absolutely try if she thought it would make a difference.

Couldn't the Master see that the Doctor _had_ to accept who she was? It was her life. She didn't have any other choice. And still she barely knew any of it.

But that past reality and this one could still exist at the same time. Those past selves had lived and died and did what they believed to be right- but this version of her?

This her was _the Doctor_. The person standing right in front of him was still the same kid the Master grew up with. She was his best friend and his best enemy and despite it all, the Master was still here when everyone else was gone.

Couldn't he see that the present was more important than the pain of their past?

"You tried to level the playing field by dragging me down to your level," the Doctor continued, "but you never needed to. I never saw myself atop the pedestal you put me on and I shouldn't have acted like you were beneath me."

The Master closed his eyes for a moment and stared down at the kit in the Doctor's hand. He simply shook his head, just barely enough to count. He wanted to believe her but he knew better than to let himself be weakened by her hopeful words,

"We aren't who we thought, you or I. It wasn't even real-" the Master reiterated.

He had to remember that the scales _were_ tipped, to convince himself of it more than anyone else.

The Doctor had been someone else once. The Doctor had another name and probably another cause once before these Earthlings. She'd probably... had another counterbalance once too. And knowing the Doctor, she had probably loved all those things just as fiercely.

Where were they now? Long gone and returned to the ash they'd been made from and long forgotten, the Master was sure.

He was confident that the same thing would happen to Earth and even himself once history repeated itself. Once the Doctor found something new or simply outlived them all.

The very thought of it drove a blade through the Master's chest-

The Doctor reached for his face, the connection between them sparking to life again and as strong as it had ever been. It allowed them to be vulnerable once again, to connect and feel the raw honesty in what the other was saying. The Doctor took hold of it and focused on sharing her own mind.

"Of course it was real! Growing up together was real! Doesn't this feel real? I'm not suddenly different now just because I know what they did to me! That doesn't change all the things we've been through together! See for yourself if you don't believe me."

The Doctor needed him to see her truth instead of whatever had been logged away in the Matrix. She needed him to see this grand, sweeping 'truth' through _her_ eyes.

The Master pulled away from her hands. He stepped back and his heels hit the brick. The window at his back was bathing the flowers in gold but left him in shadow. He rejected the Doctor's attempt at a connection.

All the Doctor could feel was the Master's anger swell up before it was crushed back into whatever box it had escaped from. Nothing more. She didn't even realize the anger was directly solely at himself this time.

"It doesn't matter. You'll leave again once this is over," the Master said coldly.

As if it was an end all, as if it negated everything the Doctor had just confessed.

The Master turned for the door, a little saddened as he did so.

"I didn't want to talk about this today," the Master concluded flatly.

His words stayed fixed in the air like a poison.

The Master's steps began, steady through the flowers, accompanied by the gentle click of his heels on the brick.

"Wait! Just... wait! Please. Just answer one more question," the Doctor pleaded.

The Master paused. His back was still to her.

The Doctor could barely breathe,

"Then why stay here with me? Why stay if it hurts you so much? Why bother with any of this at all if you're convinced it doesn't matter?"

The Doctor could hear heavy breaths shaking the Master's body in waves. Still, his words left him calmly.

"You don't really need the answer to that, do you?"

Something deep inside the Doctor caught suddenly.

Right. That. That little feeling that gnawed away at her while they were apart and raced when they were close again.

She was trying to be honest for once. She was trying to show the Master that she was still the person he knew. This other person- this culmination of past lives, that wasn't _her_. Those lives weren't _the Doctor's lives_. Maybe she had been different once- a very, very long time ago- but this her didn't remember any of that.

 _The Doctor's_ oldest memories were of her and her best friend running through long hallways and wild redgrass together, playing games and getting into trouble. She'd never asked to be anyone else, she didn't _want_ to be anyone else. She wanted to be here, with her friend, and play games, and get into trouble.

She wanted to be _the Doctor,_ not this stranger the Master sometimes looked at her like she was. Couldn't the Master see that the past didn't change who she was now?

"Then stay. Stay for another round. It's... It's your turn. Y-You said you had a good hiding spot picked out," the Doctor rubbed away a stray tear with her injured hand and tried to pretend not to notice it.

The Doctor could barely take it. If the Master left now, she had a terrible feeling they would never be like this again. Never be honest and playful and vulnerable again. They were just beginning to trust each other and if he left now...

What if she woke up tomorrow and the Master had decided he'd had enough of this game? What if she woke up tomorrow and he was gone and for once she couldn't go looking for him? She never could choose between her humans and him, it would undoubtedly tear her apart to try.

"I- I'll count. Just- I didn't mean- Please don't leave."

The Doctor's words tumbled over each other.

She'd spent so much of this life with this him, so many days with him as her closest friend confessing things she'd usually never dare to admit, so many adventures chasing each other all over time and space. She didn't know what to do if- after she was just beginning to trust him again- he suddenly left now.

The Master closed his eyes for a brief second and ran a hand thoughtfully over his jaw before finally turning back to the Doctor. He crossed the room to meet her and reached for her without touching her. His hands hovered over her upper arms like he wanted to be reassuring but didn't know how. It really wasn't his specialty, but he made an attempt.

"I'm not going to leave," he promised, his head dipping down so that the Doctor's eyes could find him. The now-golden sun bathing over the Master from his left and from the Doctor's right. His gorgeous brown eyes shined so warmly in the evening glow.

"You couldn't get rid of me if you tried," his lips parted with a gentle smirk.

And the Doctor suddenly realized he had heard all the fears she's been projecting from her mind. She chuckled weakly at the goofy smile on his face.

There was a brief pause and his hands settled gently on her arms.

The Master took a breath and continued, "I'm... sorry too."

The Doctor abruptly reached up to hug him and locked her strong arms tightly around his neck.

The Master tensed beneath her touch, his hands hovering in the open air without knowing what to do. Her grip only tightened as she buried her face in his shoulder. For a long moment, they simply stood like that.

It had been a long time since either of them caved to something like this. Telepathy and the occasional hand holding was usually more their speed. They were personal and intimate, but refined. A respectful show of affection rather than an informal slap on the back.

The last time they were this close... if they remembered correctly, the Master had died in the Doctor's arms.

But now, in the same lifetime during which they had done some of the worst harm they'd ever caused each other, they were... apologizing- in their own strange sort of way.

The Master briefly wondered if perhaps the fear of their own fragile mortality might somehow be linked to this- but that was a whole different conversation.

"Is that true? That your oldest memories really are of the first life I knew you?" the Master asked softly, "Who you were before... that's not _you?_ "

The Doctor nodded against his shoulder, her grasp tightening until her muscles shook.

"I know my own life. _My_ lives. Those people we saw in the Matrix- they had their time. _This_ me, the ones you know- _I'm_ the Doctor. You _know_ who I am.

And I'm not letting you go anytime soon."

The Master paused to take this in, relief easing the knot in his chest.

That... Well, that changes things.

He had assumed the Doctor would dive into her past at some point, go hunting down those old memories, take on all the knowledge and skill of her past lives and become _someone else_.

But... well... this....

For now, the Master caved at her touch and sank into her arms. He wrapped his own around her torso and soaked in the way the Doctor's firm grip sank into his skin in the same comforting yet exhilarating way her hands felt in his.

They wanted to live right there, maybe forever, without exchanging another word... and for a while they did.

The sun sank somewhere outside, the golden evening faded, and eventually the night flowers began to bloom.

It was only when their legs grew stiff that they broke away.

The Master caught the Doctor's face softly between his palms and gently reestablished the link with the dull tap of her forehead against his. The Doctor's arms stayed over his shoulders, the fingers of one of her hands brushing mindlessly through the shortest strands of the Master's hair.

' _Where were we?_ ' the Master eventually pressed the words as clearly into the Doctor's mind as his voice would be to her ears, ' _Ah yes, I believe it was your turn to count,_ ' he hummed with a soft smile tugging at his full lips.

The Doctor smiled, their eyes still closed and foreheads still pressed together. They had spent so long ignoring such contact that they couldn't help but soak in every second.

The Master could feel that the Doctor had been telling the truth, and he reciprocated it with his own. That all he had ever wanted was for them to be even. Perhaps still at odds- the constant dynamic of 'good' and 'evil', which of course was more a moral grey area rather than one or the other- still bickering and chasing, but in mutual agreement. A never ending game on the level playing field that was all of time and space.

Seeing it all together just like they'd always promised, but perhaps not in the way they had thought they would. The Doctor had chuckled when the Master pressed that abstract joke to her mind.

' _Yes, it is,_ ' the Doctor agreed, ' _I suppose you'd better start running!_ '

' _Oh, that was always more your specialty, my dear,_' the Master chuckled warmly.

' _Really?_ ' the Doctor asked, intrigued, ' _I bet I'll find you faster than you found me. Come to think of it, you didn't even actually win the last round!_ '

The Master huffed, their banter falling back into its previous pattern, ' _You take that back! You were in the garden, I found you in the garden! I definitely won that round._'

' _Technically it was forfeit,_ ' the Doctor corrected lightheartedly.

' _Care to make a wager?_ ' the Master taunted.

The Doctor, ever competitive, happily took the bait,

' _What's your fancy?_ '

' _It'll take you over 20 minutes to find me._ '

The Doctor grinned,

' _15\. Your wager?_ '

' _I have a certain box tucked away with five Auxrilian power crystals, barely used,_ ' the Master tempted.

' _Those can fuel almost anything for hundreds of years!_ ' the Doctor gasped, ' _And they'll work perfectly for my suped-up go-kart!_ '

' _Exactly- Wait, your what? Do you have any idea how rare those crystals are?_ ' the Master questioned.

The Doctor chuckled out loud, the vibrations passing through the Master like a ghost.

' _Yeah I do, and my go-kart needs a strong battery! Now what could you possibly want that you haven't already taken from the Tardis?_ '

' _WHEN I win..._' the Master paused for a moment before grinning widely. The excitement crashed over the Doctor's mind like a warm ocean wave, ' _I want you to play a different game with me. It's a videogame I found in the Tardis storage. It's violent and bloody and I want to kick your arse at it._'

The Doctor smirked, ' _You're on._ '

They lingered for a few moments more, so comfortably close that neither of them wanted to break away. Still, they couldn't stand there forever, and the exchange of breath was beginning to get warm between them.

The competition, the thrill, the bickering, and now the touch. It was almost overwhelming in all the best ways.

The Master planted a soft kiss on the Doctor's cheek before backing away. The gesture was so light that the Doctor's mind took a moment to catch up.

"You'd better set a timer. I don't want you cheating!" the Master called as he left the room before the Doctor could even open her eyes.

The Doctor was barely aware of anything outside the feelings crashing over her mind before she realized-

' _Oh that's RICH coming from you! You'll have to try harder than that to throw me off! _'

' _It already worked! That's an extra 10 second start to me!_ '

The Doctor could hear the Master cackling from somewhere down the hall and she realized he was right: she'd better get counting.

She had a competition to win after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is easily probably going to be the longest chapter in this series lol  
> I probably could have made this its own oneshot but where's the fun in that?
> 
> Anyways I got so many positive reviews about the last chapter that I was just like "yeah why not spend all day on the next chapter?" so I did lol  
> It's a bit of a different vibe than the others but it's not half bad. I really like it but I'll admit, it's a bit tough keeping these two consistent character-wise, especially bc the LAST thing they would ever do is forgive each other lol. Thing is, this isn't so much 'forgiveness' as it is recognizing the pain they inflicted on each other in Spyfall p2 & 'The Timeless Children' and realizing that the Doctor's past/abilities/the 'truth' DOESN'T have to change the core of their dynamic.  
> I wish I knew how to articulate it better but yeah that was kinda my train of thought. Because they have to get past what they've done before they can grow anymore  
> So this is kind of, them moving past some of the worst things they've ever done to each other and realizing that their antics can continue (and maybe even be a little more fun and maybe even less violent) because they actually have an understanding of what's going on with each other  
> Crazy what can happen when u just use ur words
> 
> And BEFORE you tell me that the Doctor shouldn't apologize to the Master I just want to say: Yeah. The Doctor absolutely doesn't owe the Master any kind of apology. I'm aware. The Master is a very bad person and killing someone is never okay, not to mention an entire PLANET like I get it.  
> Thing is, I think the Doctor WOULD apologize once she realizes that that one specific sentence only made things worse between them and that's all she's apologizing for. And she WOULD apologize for it because she's trying to be a good person and admit her mistakes because that's what good people DO. They recognize their errors and make amends for them.  
> Some people online get so heated over that kind of thing and idk why. Like?  
> It's my fic and I'm gonna let them be nice to each other you're gonna have to deal with it.
> 
> So yeah  
> The Doctor and the Master?? Confronting their emotions?? More likely than you think lol
> 
> I really, REALLY hope you like it this took SO long to edit lol  
> You've been a great audience I really haven't expected this to take off the way it has but I've been having a really good time with this series and your comments REALLY make my day!  
> See ya sometime between now and the next time I post lol  
> Good day/night X)


	11. Long Way Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor is excited to rediscover Halloween.  
> The Master attempts to be more accommodating of the Doctor and is shocked when the Doctor begins to do the same for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah it's been like 2 weeks since I last posted, hasn't it? Wow, I'm so sorry about that! I've been so busy I barely noticed the days go by. Please accept this chapter anyways!

"My dear, it seems you forgot this small anthropod in the bathroom- .... ah."

The Master had picked up the small figurine of a spider resting on the edge of the bathroom sink and brought it with him to the main library- only to be met with a hundred or so identical plastic figurines. They were scattered about the room on every surface imaginable, on top of every stack of discarded books, every end table, and every bookshelf.

The Master rolled his eyes with a heavy sigh and a brief shake of his head at the ridiculous sight.

The Doctor looked up at the sound of the Master's voice and spared him a glance over her shoulder from the second story. She was standing on the wrong side of the railing with the tips of her boots carefully wedged on the finger's width of room overlooking the lower level. The smallest slip would send her crashing to the hardwood floor below, but she didn't seem worried in the slightest. She simply continued wrapping purple and orange crêpepaper around the golden railing.

"Master! Hello!" the Doctor greeted her old friend cheerfully.

The Master narrowed his eyes as the Doctor gave him an energetic wave. He preferred when the Doctor was happy rather than upset- she was much less troublesome that way- however, it wasn't something the Master would consider a 'good sign' either.

Any shift in emotion meant something had _changed_ and the Master was not a fan of surprises- especially when he was at the mercy of a situation as precarious as this one.

He quickly leapt up the spiral staircase, taking the steps two by two, and made his way to the second floor. He made a beeline for the railing and examined the Doctor's grin from the opposite side.

The Doctor latched an arm around the banister to secure herself and gently took the small item from the Master's outstretched hand with the other.

She looked at the tiny item with a smile far too big for the Master to understand. Her eyes lit up and her wide grin proved to be genuine as it pressed tiny crinkles into the edges of her expression. Something deeply fond shone bright from her as she met the Master's skeptical eyes.

"Not _any_ anthropod!" the Doctor chuckled, "He's an _arachnid_! I left him there on purpose- he's a decoration!"

Her warm tone then softened, "But... thank you anyway."

The Doctor reached one hand to cup the Master's jaw and tapped her forehead against his for a brief second.

The Master could feel the rolling waves of affection and amusement pour from the Doctor. They lapped at him like an ocean at the shore, every wave growing closer than the last and promising to sooth him with their steady movement if he would only immerse himself.

The gentle pressure of her palm pressed to his face, the sugary smell of kids' cereal on the Doctor's warm breath, the familiarity of her mind so open to his- it was almost overwhelming. The Master could feel a burning heat light up the tips of his ears and flood his cheeks with a deep red, an uncontrolled response to the Doctor's gentle touch.

Thousands of years, and the Master would still rather the Doctor threw him into a wall or twisted his arm behind his back than show him kindness. The Master _knew_ how to respond to violence. He was well-versed in the art of retaliation and vengeance. He had learned long ago how to cut himself free from the powers that had used him as their puppet by any means necessary. Not doubt nor guilt ever passed through his mind when it came to doing whatever felt necessary to protect himself.

But this? He didn't know how to reciprocate this. Selfless and patient, soothing and bold all at once- the Master had no idea how to respond to such a thing. A second longer and the Master was reasonably certain his brain would short circuit or the strength of his racing hearts would crack his ribs wide open.

The warmth of the Doctor's touch was gone in the blink of an eye, but the feeling- the pressure of her fingertips, the careful movement, the fondness pouring from her mind- lingered long after it was gone.

The Doctor then focused her attention on the tiny creature in her hands rather than the Master and- for once- he was thankful for her inattention. If the Doctor wasn't looking then maybe she wouldn't notice the racing of his hearts in his ears.

"It's very thoughtful of you to return it nonetheless," the Doctor grinned. She did that ridiculous thing again, where her smile was off center and unsure but her eyes were shining bright with hope. It was a smile like she was noticing something for the first time all over again.

The Master looked away for a moment as he forced the overwhelming warmth flooding his chest subside.

"I'm not _thoughtful_. Don't you dare say that," the Master hissed without any force to back it.

He locked his fingers onto the banister to stop them from trembling. He tightened his grip until it almost hurt and only then, only when the feeling had passed, did he let go.

"What Earth occasion involves such decor anyways?" he quickly changed the topic.

The Doctor only grinned wider.

"Yaz and Ryan have been telling me about Halloween! I haven't had a halloween in _years_! And on the last one I was on Earth for- Well, this whole thing happened with this creature everyone _might_ have thought was a demon and she _may or may not_ have sparked a few 'myths' about wearing costumes to keep safe. It wasn't her fault she had a bad case of facial blindness!"

The Master tilted his head slightly in consideration.

"A lot of humanoids do look terribly similar," he agreed. He crossed his arms and leaned against the railing between himself and the Doctor.

The Doctor shrugged casually, "It does tend to happen when there's 7-something-billion of them at once."

The Master actually, properly, chuckled at that. He looked up to lock eyes with a surprised-looking Doctor.

Realizing they'd actually agreed on something for the first time in quite a while- the Doctor quickly digressed.

"Anyways- The fam was telling me about how Halloween has changed. It's a lot more costume parties and candy and movie-watching now-a-days. So it's something to look forward to!"

She set the small spider on the Master's shoulder and then continued with her work. The Master considered placing bets with himself as to how long it would be before the Doctor slipped from the rail and fell to the story below- but for once, the image didn't spark the same joy it used to.

The Master lifted his arms from the railing and pulled back as the Doctor reached the section he had been leaning on with her messy braid of streamers.

The Master stuffed one hand into his side pocket and gestured about with the other has he began to speak once more.

"You might be a tad disappointed to find that the spirit of Halloween is actually in death and murder," the Master corrected.

The Doctor hesitated, but not for long.

"No," she shook her head definitively, her hair swaying about as she continued decorating, "Yaz and Ryan said it _used_ to be more about scaring off spirits and what not. _Now_ , in _this year_ , it's about fun!"

The Master smirked, "Yes. _Fun._ Violent serial killers and blood pouring from the mouths of vampires and creatures of the night pulling their victims apart limb from limb-"

"Stop that. No, it's not," the Doctor said, more trying to convince herself than anyone else.

"Please," the Master smirked as he dropped a hand to his hip. His other elbow found the railing and he casually tossed one ankle over the other.

"Don't you remember when we watched Saw?"

"Saw... what?" the Doctor glanced up at him, baffled.

The Master rolled his eyes, "When we _watched_ Saw? The franchise? About the murderer forcing his victims to kill each other?"

The Doctor wracked her mind for an answer but ultimately shook her head.

The Master's eyes fell to the floor and he shook his own head in disappointment.

"I suppose that was ages ago."

"Exactly! Ages ago! This time around it's about sweets and costumes! Now, how would you feel about candy apples?" the Doctor grinned enthusiastically. She saw the opening and immediately took it.

On any other day, the Master would happily destroy the Doctor's good mood... but... perhaps not today.

It had been far too long since the Doctor had been properly excited about something anyhow.

" _Fine_. You win this one, my love. But I promise to make your Christmas _hell on Earth_."

The Master grinned cheerfully and grimly all at once as he considered all the pranks he could pull on the Doctor this impending Christmas. Indoor snow ambush, mysterious boxes filled with items the Doctor has 'lost' but also emanated a faint ticking sound, editing scenes from those annoying movies she would inevitably watch _just enough_ to baffle her- he had plenty of schemes all lined up.

However, he quickly lost his gusto as the Doctor's face scrunched up in confusion.

"Christmas," the Doctor replied simply.

The Master stared up at her. His hands fell to his pockets and his eyes flickered wildly over her for answers.

"Well... yes. I can't imagine things will cool off that much that we'll be able to leave by the end of this year, wouldn't you agree?" the Master replied.

He was only attempting to be realistic, but the Doctor took it harder than expected. The Doctor paused her work and rested her hands over the railing. Her head settled down atop her forearms.

"You're right. I mean... the statistics are a mess but the numbers are still so high that the risk...." the Doctor sighed,

"I guess I knew this would happen but I hadn't given it much thought before now. That's... My stars that's still such a long way to go...."

The Master took a deep breath and leaned an arm on the railing to her right. He kept a respectable distance, but a strange part of him had the urge to instead face her head on and take her outstretched hands in his. He immediately disregarded the idea.

"I can't believe I'm suggesting this..." the Master began.

He paused.

The Doctor lifted her head and turned to him but the Master bit his tongue for a moment more. He really didn't want any risk but... well.

"Hypothetically, your Tardis has the technology to check for carriers of the disease right? So we could always... extend those sensors to the outside. And if your human pets-"

"Friends," the Doctor corrected as usual. The Master continued unaffected,

"-happen to be safe we could invite them into the foyer. Have a small... Christmas... celebration... in there."

The words took the Master a moment to process. Even as he said them, he wasn't entirely sure what he meant. The Master strongly preferred to skip holidays entirely. It wasn't like he had anyone to celebrate them with even if he didn't. However... for the Doctor... there were few things he wouldn't suffer through.

"I do know how you love your human holidays," the Master forced himself to sound lighthearted.

The Doctor's eyes glistened with a thousand new ideas. Her expression shifted and her hands waved about wildly as she took his idea and ran with it.

"You're right! If I can somehow patch the _internal_ sensors through the _external_ scanners then I can upgrade the short range with the same accuracy as the Tardis's interior health readings!" she theorized. Her hands gestured about energetically, as if she was holding something invisible in front of her and actively putting it together as she spoke.

"It might just work. Although I'd need to be careful when adjusting the readings for the same disease in humans. _And_ make sure their different biology won't interfere with the scans. I'll need time to fine tune it... What day is it? No matter. New project! Oh this is so exciting!"

The Doctor paused briefly, her mind and feet both racing about, "Speaking of Oh, where is he? I'll need his help."

The Doctor grabbed the railing with one hand and leaned back to scan the lower room for her small friend.

"I love that little guy but I keep losing track of him," she laughed.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" the Master smirked. He loved seeing the Doctor so enthusiastic, all energy and no patience. No matter what form- _that_ was always his favorite version of them. Still, it was just like her to get ahead of herself.

"Ah! Yes! Right!" the Doctor grinned.

Before the Master could process it, the Doctor had her hands on his upper arms and pulled at him, both her hands clutching him instead of sparing an iota of thought for her own safety. The Master clutched her forearms with his hands on instinct alone and turned to face her directly as his hearts leapt to his throat at the worry she would slip.

He immediately scolded himself because of course the Doctor would be okay no matter what happened to her. That was the whole reason for the current divide between them. He highly doubted a fall like this could cause her much damage at all- and he reached for her anyways.

Before he was even aware of what was happening, the Doctor pressed her forehead to his once more. This time, in addition to all the waves of unearned affection pouring from her, the Master felt her press a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"Thank you!" the Doctor grinned.

She then stepped quickly along the outside of the railing- like that one mischievous child who had to climb across the outside of the playground instead of using the obstacles the way they were intended- and climbed down the spiral case with a risky swing and a leap.

She was at the lower level before the Master could even blink and whisper quietly, "That... wasn't what I was implying at all."

"Oh! There you are!" the Master could hear in the distance. It was quickly followed by a loud, "I found him!" that rang happily through the large room.

"Master! Do you want to help? I'm sure I'll accidentally electrocute myself at least once!" the Doctor taunted with that same dark humor the Master enjoyed so much.

The Master's eyes finally met hers. A joyous smile reached her eyes as she happily held Oh in her arms. The way the amber lighting washed over her, the optimistic energy in her voice... the Master felt speechless.

"You get started. I'll catch up," the Master forced the words from his lips.

The Doctor gave him a sharp nod and then excitedly raced out of the room, chattering to Oh about her new project all the while.

The Master shook his head wildly and rolled his shoulders as he composed himself. Why did he have to be so foolish? To actually suggest something of use? To actually suggest they risk their safety to have dinner with a small handful of lower life forms?

But of course, somewhere deep in his blackened hearts, he knew exactly why. It was because the Doctor missed her humans and she would be her old self again with them around.

The Master hated it. Hated humans. Hating feeling like he simply wasn't enough.

And still, if they were going to make it through this, then the Doctor was right.

They needed something to look forward to.

The Master eventually composed himself, set the small spider on the half-decorated railing, and followed the Doctor out of the library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jokes/References:  
> [The title was inspired by Bill Wurtz's "long long long journey" lol  
> And the reference to the Master and the Doctor watching Saw together is from [this fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17232473)! It's with Missy and 10 and a classic as far as my bookmarks are concerned so if you're in the mood for some soft thoschei content I'd recommend it!  
> And no, I've never seen 'Saw'. I don't think I have the stomach for it tbh]
> 
> I love the idea of the Master slowly learning to be kind and realizing how very easy it is to care about the Doctor when they're unobserved.  
> I think it would really lower the stakes for him and that he would start to let himself feel more than he would when he and the Doctor are in the middle of some fight with Earth caught in the middle. And same for the Doctor, she can trust him little by little and now have to worry about him destroying the planet.  
> Ah they're both stupid I love them so much.  
> And anyways, fam visit? Is this plot?  
> I was thinking perhaps a christmas visit? Maybe?  
> And you KNOW all hell would break loose to have everyone in the same room lol. But it would be really fun so it's something I'm considering. If I ever get time to WRITE gah life is crazy isn't it?
> 
> Well, goodnight :)


	12. Time Spent Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and the Master spend a peaceful day together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been too busy to edit my more plot-driven chapters but I still wanted to update this week so please accept this lil fluff

"How _dare_ you insult me you insolent pest!" the Master's voice escaped the room and reverberated down the long halls, "You are _nothing_. I will break down every soul you hold dear while you watch the life drain from their eyes! I will end your bloodline and tarnish your legacy. Your own family would disown you if not for the fact that your demise was privileged enough to be at my hands! I am stoppable, I've seen carnage the likes of which would shatter the fragile spirit of a pest such as yourself! I-"

The Doctor turned her head from the game she was playing to the identical one in the Master's hands. His eyes remained locked onto it, enraged yet elated and clearly immersed in his current battle.

The Doctor tapped his shoulder so that the Master would lower his headphones.

"Whatcha playing?" the Doctor asked.

"Pokemon," the Master said with a small nod.

"Is it fun?" the Doctor asked, having only faintly heard the name a time or two before.

The Master grinned a bright sadistic grin.

"Absolutely."

The Master then tilted the screen towards the Doctor and pulled his headphones down to his neck.

"The objective is to become the Ultimate Master of every creature and beat every person who tries to stop you," he pressed a button that changed the display to a group of six bobbing images,

"These ones are mine and with my leadership, I can shape them into powerful beasts who will mercilessly destroy my enemies!"

"Awww! Those are adorable!" the Doctor smiled.

"No, they're not!" the Master said sharply, not even considering it for a moment, "I'm going to make them into the most powerful creatures this universe has ever seen!"

The Doctor looked over the variety of small figures. They didn't seem all that monstrous to her. One was a tiny bird and another was just a blue garden snake for goodness sake.

"Why is that one just a fish?" the Doctor pointed out, "And why is its name 'Vengeance'?"

The Master gasped, absolutely appalled by her suggestion.

"That is not just a fish! With my brilliance, and rigorous training, this creature will become one of the most powerful members of my alliance! She can learn all sorts of dangerous water and dragon type moves- which means she will be a valuable asset for when I defeat this world's reigning champion!"

The Doctor nodded, "Ah, alright. You might want to put that fish in some water though. She doesn't look very well."

The Master shook his head and swapped out the page he was on for a different one. He scanned over the images of dozens more figures before he stopped at a particular one and selected it.

"Here, look. It will turn into this when I'm done."

The Doctor's eyes widened slightly at the sight of a huge flying blue creature that looked like some fleeting resemblance of an enormous snake with fins. It's jaw was open to reveal two huge and intimidating fangs.

"That makes more sense," the Doctor nodded.

"Exactly. Imagine the damage I could do to Earth with one of these on my side!"

The Doctor narrowed her eyes- so the Master changed the subject.

"What are _you_ playing?"

The Doctor tilted her own screen in his direction.

"Animal Crossing."

"What are they crossing?" the Master speculated.

The Doctor paused, "I'm not sure. Maybe I haven't gotten to that part yet."

The Master nodded, attempting to understand as best he could,

"What's the objective?"

The Doctor smiled, "To develop your island and make it a pleasant place for all the people who live there!"

The Master turned back to his own game.

"That doesn't sound _nearly_ as interesting as my game, but it does sound very you."

The Doctor looked back to her game.

"It's more fun than it sounds. Here- You'll like this- Look at all these sharks I caught!"

The Doctor pressed a few buttons and led her character into a large building. The Master smiled when the Doctor showed him a huge tank of sharks.

"Excellent," the Master grinned. His expression shifted as his mind drifted to something else, "I actually looked into sharks on Earth. I thought they might have some potential- but it turns out they aren't _nearly_ as murderous as I had hoped."

The Doctor smiled and shuffled a little closer.

"Yeah. All those teeth make them look the part, but the people actually harmed by sharks per year- let alone died because of one- is _incredibly_ small."

The Master nodded in agreement and shifted his attention back to the battle his character had entered.

"I like them anyways," the Master eventually decided quietly.

His eyes stayed fixed on the screen in his hands, but his mind was somewhere else. He probably hadn't even meant to say the words out loud.

The Doctor's chuckle pulled him back to reality and he turned to find her beaming away as if he'd said something hilarious. His eyes narrowed and his brows pressed together in confusion. He had no idea what was so funny about that.

"What?" he asked sharply.

The Doctor shook her head with a laugh. Her hair swayed about her face with each small movement.

She pulled the Master's glasses from his innocently bewildered expression and wiped them off with a small cloth in her pocket.

"Nothing. That's just very you," she smiled fondly.

The Doctor carefully returned the glasses to the Master's face as he replied. His eyes flickered about, not quite able to stay still as if he was watching something the Doctor couldn't see.

"A shark could kill anything if it wanted. They're still _dangerous_ \- even if they choose not to attack humans," the Master insisted, "And it's misleading that they have such a bad reputation."

The Doctor only smiled a little wider.

"Yes, I'm well aware."

The Master gave a nod, clearly content to be in agreement, and quietly returned to his game.

The Doctor watched him for a moment more. His eyes burned with determination to win the game in his hands, but his energy developed into a childish enthusiasm rather than the unbridled rage she was used to. The Doctor was seeing that side of him more and more these days. The side that wanted stimulating entertainment and a good challenge rather than a thirst for violence born from a painfully numb boredom.

For so long, the Doctor had pushed him to change- and after everything turned out change was never what the Master needed. He didn't need to become anyone else, he only needed time and a safe environment where he could lower his guard and allow the better parts of himself to grow into what they were always capable of becoming.

The Doctor moved closer and leaned her shoulder against his. The Master glanced up sharply and lowered his headphones to his neck.

"Yes?" he asked, giving her his full attention. His deep brown eyes turned to her without an ounce of annoyance. All the deeper, darker parts of his mind were pushed aside as he calculated what strategy would be best to use in his current, playful battle while the rest of him awaited the Doctor's response.

The Doctor simply smiled and leaned against him more fully.

"Nothing. I'm just... happy we can spend time together again."

The Master turned away and calculated his response for a long moment. Gears shifted behind his eyes, moving his inner thought from deep in his mind to reality.

After a few seconds or so, he smiled a little. As if even after all the movies they'd watched and meals they've shared and Tardis repairs they've worked on together, he had never put two and two together.

"We're not even doing anything," the Master said thoughtfully; as if he couldn't quite get his head around it. He then pointed out,

"You hate doing nothing."

"Doing nothing is still a lot more fun with you here," the Doctor grinned.

The Master bit back a blush and he turned his focus back to his game. A soft smile spring to life on his lips.

The Doctor returned to her own game as well, but remained at his side. The Master passively accepted it and- for the very first time since this whole thing started- leaned ever so slightly closer until he and the Doctor balanced each other out.

"Yes..." he finally decided, "I suppose it is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The point is, people improve when they get external love and support. How can we hold it against them when they don’t?” – Michael, The Good Place 4×08
> 
> This quote came to mind when I was finishing this little ficlet. The Master has tried to be good, he's sworn to be 'evil', and he's even said he will be whatever force necessary to balance out the Doctor. His character is defined by being the Doctor's foil- but when the Doctor isn't actively being 'good' then there's no NEED for him to be 'evil'. They can just BE. And even more so, with no danger and no stakes, they can just be who they are TOGETHER. Isn't that amazing?  
> Sorry I'm such a sap I just want them to be happy. They deserve to be happy and if Chibnall won't do it I'll just to it myself lol
> 
> Oh and they're playing Nintendo switches- Pokemon Sword/Shield and Animal Crossing: New Horizons  
> The 'fish' is a Magikarp that will evolve into a Gyarados


	13. Residual Damage and Unrelenting Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *taps on the chapter title*  
> But if you need more than that: The Doctor and the Master talk about their internal and external pain and end up with a love confession that helps them both.  
> I feel like it's about time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update. I have a million and one excuses but you're not here for that are you?  
> Have fun with this absolute monster of a chapter I have no idea what happened lol
> 
> Warnings: mentions of scars and lingering damage from past injuries. Also mentions of the Doctor being emotionally overwhelmed because of past trauma. interpret how you want within reason I guess

The Doctor wasn't completely sure why, but she found herself wandering into the garden and sitting down among it's tallest flowers. It felt dumb, and more than a little childish, but that was the point.

It reminded her of when she was young and she used to hide away in the tall grass where no one could find her- although the teachers would scour the fields for ages.

In the plants- some of which were of the same rare descendents of Gallifrey- the Doctor felt safe.

She couldn't run- there was nothing to run _from_ this time around- so instead she hid. She needed the comfort of the garden. She needed the silence and the stillness and the feeling of safety that they provided.

Oh was with her too, with his thin legs curled up around his body so the Doctor could hold him to her chest. Oh, too, was quiet in times like this. When the weight on the Doctor's shoulders seeped painfully deep into her skin and there seemed to be no way of relieving the tension.

She tried to accept the quiet, but that only made it worse.

It felt like no matter where she turned on Earth, terrible things were happening. Terrible things that, maybe she should go _do_ something about. But she knew better. She couldn't go out there. She wouldn't be of use to anyone if she was dead.

What _could_ she even do? There was no single problem to solve, no opponent to best. There were dozens, hundreds, and none the Doctor could fix in an evening.

It hurt almost more than she could bear, to be powerless against the raging tide outside. To be powerless to help Earth, powerless to help her friends, powerless to change anything about her present situation.

So yeah, that's why she was hiding. As if maybe all those agonizing realities couldn't reach her mind if they couldn't find her among the plants; the same way her teachers couldn't berate her for skipping class if they couldn't find her. If, like when she was a kid, perhaps she could feel safe in being alone, curled up in the tall grass once more.

"Hello, my dears," the Master's voice traveled easily through the large room.

The Doctor immediately froze, not even daring to breathe. She hadn't seen the Master in _days_ now.

He had a habit of disappearing from time to time. The Doctor had yet to discover where he went- although she supposed now she had. She had always assumed he was safely venting his anger somewhere out of earshot. She had guessed maybe there was a gym she hadn't yet found where he channeled his anger through a lot of yelling or maybe throwing knives. She was never sure where he went, but she would have never guessed he would come _here_.

The Doctor heard him cross the room from the door opposite door to the one she'd entered. She was sitting to the far right, closest to the large floor to ceiling windows, and right of the Master while he made his way to the center of the room. She heard his steps- but they weren't the usual tapping of his dress shoes. These were more of an unusual dull patter. She glanced through the flowers to see black slippers crossing the room.

Oh made a small, curious beep, and the Doctor put a finger to her lips. It wasn't that the Doctor was hiding, it wasn't that she meant to eavesdrop. It was just that... well, curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back.

She was incredibly curious, and truthfully she was in desperate need of the distraction.

The Doctor ducked down and watched through the beautifully overgrown plants to get a better look at the Master.

On the opposite side of the room, she could see a raised garden bed made of brick. The Master crossed the room. He had a thick black robe draped loosely over his body and checkered blue and black pj bottoms falling to those fuzzy black slippers.

He had a towel over his shoulders which was catching the runoff of his dripping hair. The Doctor barely recognized him without his usual formalwear. Dressed like this he almost looked, dare she say, _normal_.

"Yes, I'm sure you missed me. But a nice _scalding_ shower was just what the Doctor ordered," the Master chuckled to himself.

He took the towel from his shoulders and layed it down over the brick before settling himself onto it. He layed down on it and stared up at the ceiling, the evening light bathing him from the window to his right.

His eyes flickered over to the patch of flowers to his left with an unusually warm expression. He reached out a hand and brushed a nearby blossom.

"It's a shame not everyone is like you lot. Nice and peaceful, respectful in the presence of your betters," he chuckled darkly as if it was an inside joke with himself, "and yet a slow chaos consuming everything you come into contact with. You lovelies will always reclaim what's yours, with time. I respect that."

The Doctor briefly wondered if perhaps the Master really had finally lost his mind, but she simply couldn't look away.

He spoke the same as always, with that same song like flow that emphasized every important word with such careful infliction. Even with no one around, his expressions quickly shifted from one to the next in rapid succession. One moment his brows were furrowed in deep thought and yet by the end, his lashes were open wide as if appreciating the good point he, himself, had made.

His fingers fluttered about in the air, occasionally grazing the petals nearest him.

The Master took a deep breath and pulled his warm clothes tighter around him, one leg lazily tossed over the other from where he layed across the level brick.

"We'll watch the stars come out tonight I think," the Master articulated his decision to what he believed to be an empty room.

There was a pause of soothing silence.

"I like watching the stars," the Master mused, "I don't think I appreciated them enough before."

His voice was met with more silence, but it was the steady kind of silence the Doctor had been missing.

The Doctor shifted carefully to lay her head onto her hands over the cool soil. It was dirtying her clothes for sure, but it kept her in the present. A present where the Master was so close yet blind to her presence that made the Doctor's hearts ache just a little.

She'd never seen him so relaxed before. She was used to him always being on edge, always ready to dodge at the first sign of trouble and ready a jab of his own. But there was no sharpness in his movements today.

"The Doctor and I used to do this you know," the Master spoke up to the open air.

"Lay in the grass and hide and talk until the stars came out."

He cleared his throat and brought himself back to the present before he could fall victim to those ancient memories, "Just a bad habit I suppose."

Something caught in the Doctor's throat as well, something that nearly brought tears to her eyes before she had the common sense to blink them away. She... hadn't known he still thought about those old days. With the way he often acted, she would have expected him to forget them or at least resent them.

Instead, his own deep eyes looked a little glassy as well. As if he thought back on those beautiful evenings as fondly as the Doctor after all.

"Can you believe we're still here?" the Master chuckled to himself and the company of the flowers.

He sat up slowly and reached gently over for a nightflower that hadn't yet bloomed. It would soon enough, once the sun set and the stars returned.

The Master suddenly tensed as he sat up. He winced and let a mildly pained noise leave his lips as he grabbed sharply for his side. He grimaced until the moment of pain had passed. He took a steady breath and let his shoulders relax before he continued on as if it'd never happened.

"When the Doctor had spent so many years telling me to see the stars instead of ruling them, I can't imagine this is what they'd had in mind."

The Master sighed and layed his tense body down once more. It took a few breaths for him to actually relax his muscles against the soft fabric of his robe and the still-warm towel beneath.

The slowness with which he settled himself down gave the Doctor reason to worry. Was he hiding away because he'd hurt himself? What kind of trouble had he gotten into that the Tardis hadn't bothered alerting her to?

"It's alright my loves," the Master spoke again to his silent audience, "I'm doing better now. Nothing a bit of heat can't sooth out."

Another sigh fell from his lips and he continued as if he was the second half of a full conversation.

"No, I can't _tell her_ ," he said sharply. "Your tiny minds could never understand. She's certainly a battering ram rather than a lock pick," he smiled fondly, "but things always work out for her in the end."

"We're not kids anymore," his voice suddenly grew sharp and bitter,

"The universe made her life and shaped me into death. It's the roles we're meant to play."

After a moment he added, "I certainly feel it anyways-" he nearly laughed, "And even if I mention it, she'd just take it upon herself as yet another thing to fix. I don't need to be fixed."

The Master shifted slightly to lay flat on his back one more and closed his eyes.

"But it's alright. This is just another rough day. I'll feel better after a bit of rest."

The Doctor layed her head down and listened to the Master's gentle breathing.

If he hadn't hurt himself recently then... had he been hurting all this time? Of course the Doctor would take it upon herself to help the moment she heard this. She could heal him if he would only _let_ her!

She saw his refusal as a frivolous matter of pride. It wasn't _fixing_. There was nothing wrong with accepting help. Especially when it would ease his pain.

She'd seen his pain, his fear, and he only ever channeled it into anger. Maybe if she could heal him... she could give him a proper hold he could improve upon.

The Master hummed once more as he drifted off, his voice gentle in the still air,

"Shame Oh's not here, I could use someone to wake me up when the stars come out-" he chuckled ever so softly.

Upon hearing his name, Oh immediately beeped to life and raced out from his hiding spot. The Master's eyes snapped open at the sound and he turned his head to see the little creature scurry up to him.

"Hello, dear. Shouldn't you be with the Doctor?" the Master welcomed Oh a bright and warm grin- the likes of which the Doctor had never seen on him. The Doctor smiled fondly at the sight.

The Master's smile immediately fell from his lips as Oh turned his little body towards the Doctor's hiding place.

The Doctor's hearts raced as the Master's eyes locked onto her.

"What? Ah! Master! Goodness, hello!" the Doctor found her way to her feet. She brushed off some of the soil still clinging to her clothes, "Uh, fancy seeing you here! I... must've fallen asleep! Crazy how that happens! Well, the ph of the soil looks pretty good so I guess I'll be on my way!"

The Master sat up sharply, his warm eyes shifting to something cold and calculating. If he was still in pain, he didn't show it in the slightest.

He didn't look directly at her, not even while she watched him quickly rebuild his defences behind his threatening mask.

The Doctor meant to leave, but her feet didn't move. Her eyes locked onto the small patch of exposed skin where the Master's robe slipped from his shoulder. All across his soft skin were scars.

Scars of all different shapes and sizes, bullet wounds and knife wounds and shrapnel cuts, scar tissue in all sorts of zigzags and slashes from his collarbones to his soft stomach. And she could only imagine how many more were hidden from her sight.

The knowledge of what the Master had seen, much of it during his time stranded on Earth, rested uncomfortably in the Doctor's mind- but the realness of its lingering damage made her feel so much worse. The very idea that someone had hurt the Master, not only once but almost countless times over, pulled violently at the Doctor's stomach.

The Master glanced down at himself upon realizing the Doctor was staring and quickly pulled the soft fabric tighter around him.

"How much did you hear?" he questioned defensively.

The Doctor was surprised to find that the Master clearly startled by her intrusion. She watched his mind shift gears as he determined how to react. She had caught him at his least guarded, and somewhere he genuinely felt safe enough to rest and speak his mind. She hadn't meant to take that from him, but it was too late to undo it now.

"Me? Barely any of it! I was just-" the Doctor sighed as she crossed the room to him, "Yeah, I heard all of it."

"What are you doing here?" the Master hissed angrily up at her.

Now the Doctor felt caught off guard as well.

She shuffled her feet about nervously and swung her hands for a moment before locking them behind her back.

"Uh...mmm.... I..." she forced a breath out through her lips and stared at the ground with embarrassment.

"I... wanted to hide in the grass," she confessed awkwardly, "It... reminds me of home. Not that I wanted to be reminded of home but it... it always made me feel safe... to... hide. Wow, that sounds even more ridiculous out loud than it did in my head."

The Master's lips cracked into a tiny smile but it disappeared just as quickly.

"Do you usually spend time in here?"

"No! And if you're asking if I've overheard you talking before now I absolutely haven't. This was just a one time thing! I just thought it might help- I had no idea you spend time here."

The Master nodded thoughtfully- still refusing to meet her eyes.

"One time thing," the Master echoed.

His deep eyes flickered up to her and for a moment, the Doctor thought a true look at him without his veil of rage might pull her hearts from her chest.

"You can stay for this evening," he said without much force behind it, "but I don't want to catch you in here again."

The threat was empty, the Doctor and the Master both knew. It was her ship, and the Tardis would allow her wherever she wanted.

However this demand was more of a request. He was asking for her to leave this space for him, a place where he could feel safe and could recover without the paranoia of being observed. He felt his back was to the wall, and he was too tired to lash out- so for once, he was asking that she might leave him to tend to his wounds alone.

The very least the Doctor could do was respect his simple request.

"I- I don't like to spend time in here anyways! I mean- look at this mess!" the Doctor decided to play along and gestured down to her outfit, "This- this is ridiculous! If I wanted to look a mess I would just hang out in the _rainforest_. And if I wanted a view, the observatory has a much better one than this!"

She was exaggerating- obviously- but that was the point. It was her way of promising that she wouldn't intrude again. She had to admit, it was difficult. She was far better at showing up at the wrong place and time, but for the Master, she would do her best not to.

Nothing good ever happened when the Master felt threatened anyways.

The Master let his eyes fall away.

"Then I suppose it's settled," he said quietly, clearly too tired to argue any further.

"Yes, it is," the Doctor agreed.

They stared at each other for a long few seconds. The Doctor searched the Master's eyes questioningly, and he scanned her in return, gauging the honesty in her words. He apparently found what he was looking for because he then shifted to one side of the towel and made room for the Doctor to sit down next to him.

"Don't ask," the Master added sharply, his voice still quieter than usual and his guard lower than he would have preferred.

"I wasn't- ..." the Doctor then sighed, corrected herself, and continued, "I want to, but I won't."

The Master nodded.

It stayed tense for a while longer. During the entirety of the sunsetting and the slow progression of lights being flipped on down in the sheffield buildings in the distance. As the evening faded into night, the air between them slowly relaxed and the stars above appeared.

They'd both seen far better views, but this one felt different. They were seeing it together, and from Earth no less. Different, and yet exactly how they'd remembered it all those decades, centuries, going on a millenia ago.

They stared up together at the deep abyss, a sky filled with stars, many of whose light had yet to reach Earth and which would burn out long before humans ever noticed them.

The Master and the Doctor let their minds get tangled up in old memories of the Doctor pointing out different stars and suggesting that the two of them go see those very stars up close one day. They used to make so many foolish promises to each other beneath the night sky and swear so many naive things that were so much bigger than themselves.

Even after all these years, those same feelings remained as a core piece of each of them.

The Master thought back to when he used to secretly pretend he didn't know which of the countless stars the Doctor was talking about. He used it as an excuse more times than he could remember so that the Doctor would take his hand in hers and show him by raising their joined hands up against the beautiful night sky. They used to share such stupid excuses and fleeting touches and the best of laughs until they got too tired to do anything more than stare.

The Master briefly wondered if the Doctor had ever figured out that old trick of his... and if it might still work.

"Which way was it that you were always telling me you wanted to go first? It all looks different from here," the Master asked gently.

"Good question! That was ages ago, let me think...," the Doctor considered cheerfully.

She hummed in thought for a moment before reaching up a hand, her finger outstretched and tracing the stars.

"If I remember correctly the Earth's Northern Star was visible from Gallifrey- although it wasn't called that, it was catalogued like all the rest. Not as bright from Gallifrey either, but if we use that as a point of reference then... there!" the Doctor smiled widely.

The Master could hear her excitement in her voice. It was just as he remembered.

"Over there? Past Orion?" the Master pointed to what he already knew was the incorrect star system.

As predicted, the Doctor guided his hand with her own and shifted close to the Master's face so she could get a similar line of sight to his own. Her fingers closed carefully over his hand and she shifted it slightly as she tried to get the angle just right.

"Close!" the Doctor beamed, guiding his hand in hers, "Right about... there!"

The Master could barely paying attention. The Doctor's face was so close he could feel the warmth of her every word. It was killing him not to simply turn his head ever so slightly and press his face against hers. To let their foreheads fall against each other and open the link between them and soak in the priceless nostalgia of youth and the feeling of ancient, unwavering trust as if it had never been shattered.

The Master already felt weak today. The physical and mental strain was almost too much already. She'd caught him at a bad time, a vulnerable time, and even if she hadn't- this evening was only an exception after all.

All of it as a matter of fact, this whole situation was an exception. And the more he leaned into it, the more it would hurt to tear away and break off whatever this new, foreign, form of trust was building between them. The weight of it strained his hearts but all the same, it was so incredibly easy to loose himself in its gentle embrace.

"Right," was all he said, trying to forget that there might be a very real chance the Doctor felt the same way.

She once had- the Master remembered so fondly and bittersweet at the same time- felt the same way about him as he did about her. But she had chosen these humans over him. They were only here and not traveling the universe together _because_ of the humans.

He wanted to burn it down. Burn it all down. Until there was nothing left, no a soul, not a cell. He wanted the entire universe gone and he was tempted to do it just to get rid of anyone and anything the Doctor could ever choose over him.

He would do it too, if he thought that solution would work. But it wouldn't because, if the humans were gone, the Doctor's hearts would break and she'd lock the Master out for good.

She would never forgive him if he succeeded, and that single fact was the only reason he wasn't torching this diseased chunk of rock they'd been trapped on for the last several months that very second.

The Master wanted the Doctor for himself so much it hurt, but he wanted her to be happy more than anything. Even more than his own selfish desires. If this place made her happy for some ridiculous reason, then he might just let it be one day.

"I would heal you if you asked, you know. Give you all the lives I possibly could just so I don't have to worry about losing you ever again," the Doctor said somewhat abruptly, but thoughtfully. She presented it as if it was a simple fact. As if she was certain.

The Master paused to appreciate not her offer- but the sentiment behind her words. It felt... good. Still, he knew her kindness was a double-edged sword. Every selfless offer of hers was born from some selfish need, some defence so that she wouldn't be held responsible for the repercussions of her actions. Maybe she did care about him in some small way, but the Master knew that her motives were derived from guilt.

"You can't erase the past, Doctor. It doesn't work like that. Even with your time machine, even with your regenerative abilities, you can't pretend it never happened."

"I'm not trying to erase it!" the Doctor promised- despite the way the Master couldn't bring himself to believe her- "I just want to move on from it! I want to learn and be better than who I've ever been before. I know more now than I ever have, and I should make the most of what I _can_ do!"

The Doctor propped herself up on one hand and leaned over the Master's face, block his line of sight. The way her hair fell about her face, the way her beautiful eyes somehow mirrored the vast beauty of the night sky behind her. She was absolutely breathtaking, as always.

The Master only smiled softly.

He turned to face her directly, one leg folded before him and the other over the edge of the brick. The Doctor mirrored him by pulling her legs up and crossing them beneath her.

"Doctor, you misunderstand," the Master said gently, perhaps more gently than he should allow himself. He dipped his head to catch her eyes with his own, "I'm not ashamed of my scars. I like the reminder. They each represent something I faced and survived. They're memories that make me who I am."

"But they're hurting you," the Doctor replied quickly, something painful in her voice, "and I'm part of the reason you have so many of them. If I had known I would have never-"

The Master shushed her gently. Not to silence her, but to keep her from going back down that dark and painful path as the Master had made the mistake of traveling far, far too many times now.

"Shh... hush now, my dear. It's far too late for that kind of thinking. It's a waste of time, trust me."

He then took one of her hands in his own with almost uncharacteristic carefulness. He ran his fingertips over the Doctor's fingers thoughtfully.

After a moment, he met her eyes once more.

"Think of them like the things you collect. When you see an old piece of something one of your pets has left behind, like an item brought back from one of your adventures, you pick it up and it makes you think of it's origins- does it not?"

"I suppose," the Doctor agreed, "but where are you going with this?"

"Some reminders are good," he continued, looking at something beyond what his eyes could see, "and some reminders are bad. Some are both- but all of them make you who you are because the memories they reflect back at you are _your memories_."

The Master then pulled the Doctor's hand closer and gently pressed her fingers to the old bullet wound in his shoulder.

It had burst right through, a matching exit wound on the other side. The Master simply raised the Doctor's fingers to the entry wound.

It had healed up well- he did have an echo of the Doctor's healing abilities after all- but it was still all too easy to see what the wound had been from the shape of the scar tissue.

"Where your friend shot me," the Master labeled it, his eyes falling away from the Doctor and flickering about the flowers next to her instead. Gaze moved about sharply, as if he was trying to look at her but couldn't quite force himself to meet her eyes.

His mind raced as he tried to quiet the racing of his hearts. He wasn't good at being vulnerable. It really wasn't his cup of tea. Every instinct he had told him that he was showing her how to exploit a weakness, but he held fast to the path he'd chosen.

"It hurt like hell, those old, imperfect bullets. I was lucky the shot went clean through," he mused.

The Doctor managed to hold her tongue. Despite how much she wanted to chatter nervously, she could see he was building to something and she was curious to discover what it was.

"But when I think about it," the Master continued slowly, "it's not the pain that I think about first. It's the circumstances. It's you, and me, and our same old dance in that... admittedly quite beautiful gallery. I'd been waiting to see you, I picked out the best suit for the day and age, and I was so excited to tell you about what I'd done. And you grinned so wide when you realized that I didn't know how you escaped that plane."

The Master smiled himself, a wide, open mouth smile that showed his beautiful teeth. He flicked his tongue over his lips for a moment and shifted slightly as his eyes fell to the flowers to his left. The Doctor's fingers pressed more steadily to his skin.

"So, you see, it's not all that unpleasant," he explained, "Because when I think back to how I got this scar, I think about that beautiful day and that stupid grin on your face."

A few more seconds passed before the Master finally worked up the courage to look up at the Doctor. He wasn't quite sure if she looked more hurt by his words or relieved for them.

He waited patiently for the Doctor to express a proper reaction, but she simply stared for a minute more. There was something in her eyes, something so baffled yet... was it fond? that the Master couldn't quite put a name to.

Finally, _finally_ she spoke again.

"You're not upset? It's... partially your own fault, but I'm just as much to blame! You don't... have a grudge against me for these?"

The Master chuckled and fully covered her hand with his own.

"Maybe a couple," he smirked, "but no. I have plenty of other reasons to hold a grudge against you. These should be the least of your concerns."

The Doctor broke into a weak laugh, tears threatening to spill from her eyes at the abrupt movement. Once she composed herself, she spoke once more,

"I thought... maybe if you would let me heal them I could begin to right the wrongs I've caused you. Maybe then there wouldn't be as much distance between us. I meant to stop your plans... but I never meant to hurt you like this."

The Master smiled softly at her confession. It was good to know that she had limits on how much she wanted to hurt him.

"How kind of you," the Master smirked, "but truly, it's alright. I think there'll always be a bit of space between us, and I think that makes it all the more interesting. It would be so dull if we agreed on everything, wouldn't you say?"

The Doctor ran two fingers carefully over the wound once more, trying to convince herself to somehow let go of such a horrible thing.

"I suppose you're right," the Doctor considered, nearly convinced.

"That one doesn't even hurt much anymore," the Master added, "It's mostly the shrapnel or the stab wounds that damaged muscle that cause me trouble. And that's nothing a little warmth from time to time can't smooth out."

"You're sure?" the Doctor asked gently, still not entirely convinced.

"Yes, Doctor. I am. Honestly, it's like you forget who I am sometimes."

"Just because you can handle these things alone doesn't mean you have to," the Doctor promised with determination, "you can tell me when you need time instead of disappearing."

"Says the one of us who was just hiding in the dirt like a child," the Master turned the Doctor's words right back at her.

The Doctor chuckled and pulled her hand away from the Master as she ducked her head. She picked bits of dirt off her pants just to have something to occupy herself with.

"You got me," she finally admitted, "I guess I was. There's just... so much happening out there right now and so much of it is so terrible.... I just needed a change of scenery."

She then shook her head and stopped abruptly.

"Nevermind. I know you don't want to hear about it."

The Master paused, and drew in a deep breath.

"We did say today would be an exception, so I suppose you can tell me if you'd like."

"You won't mock me like usual?" the Doctor glanced up with raised eyebrows.

The Master considered this for a moment.

"You didn't make fun of me," the Master decided decisively, "so it's only fair."

"Of course I'm not going to mock you for this! You're in pain!" the Doctor reminded him as if he could have somehow forgotten.

"So are you," the Master said simply.

The Doctor froze at that. She turned her attention back to the stars and smiled a little at the beautiful sight of them once more. They seemed to sooth her and after a moment, she finally found the words to say what's been on her mind.

"I worry about the humans," she let the heavy burden fall from her shoulders, "I know you don't care about them, but they're important to _me_. They don't deserve what's happening to them. Disease and natural disasters... and their governments have such poor leadership right now... Everything is a mess and I know humanity will turn out fine in the end, but it takes a while and it's so difficult to watch. Even just my fam are so worried about their own friends and family, and that's only a tiny piece of what so many people are going through. And... worst of all, I just _really_ miss them."

The Doctor pressed her face to her hands for a long moment as she composed herself once more.

"I can't stand not knowing what to do," she continued, "I don't even know what to do with myself while I'm here. There's plenty of things I _could_ do but sometimes they just don't feel _worth_ doing. I'm... I'm tired. I'm scared and I'm tired and I don't want to keep living through this anymore. I-"

The Doctor's breath caught somewhere in her throat and she forced herself to stop.

"I want out but there's nowhere to go. Not really. This will always be happening here and now and I can't just leave. Physically I could, but... you understand why I can't. And it's so frustrating. I don't know what to do."

The Doctor brushed a silent tear from her eye.

"Sorry, I just hate feeling... trapped. And I know it's my own fault but-"

"It's not your fault," the Master interrupted. His voice was honest and firm.

"You didn't do this to the humans. They brought it upon themselves and if they care about getting out of the mess they made, then they'll have to get out of it themselves as well. What's happening out there isn't your fault. How could it be? And I know it looks bad but..." the Master shook his head, "the game's not over yet. Actually, let me show you."

The Master stood up from the brick and offered the Doctor a hand.

The Doctor looked up at him, eyes wide in surprise.

"What?" she asked softly.

The Master offered his hand closer and after considering it for a moment, the Doctor finally took it.

The Master grinned a bright, cheerful grin and locked his fingers into hers. He led her from the room and with every step, he picked up the pace just a little.

The Doctor had been near tears, but she broke into a laugh as the Master began to run down the long halls.

"Where are we going?" the Doctor beamed as the Master pulled her along, his ridiculous hair still damp and still dressed in his softest pjs.

It reminded the Doctor of the way she used to drag him along the halls of the Academy as school children, just like this, and she wondered if maybe that was the point.

"You'll see in a minute! And I promise you'll love it!" the Master chuckled.

With all their heaviest concerns aired back in the garden, they both felt lighter than they had in a while as they giggled like schoolchildren. The Doctor played along as the Master led them to the console room. He checked the display for a moment, and then leapt down the steps to the front door. He fixed the tie around his robe for a moment and brushed back his messy hair with one hand before reaching for the Tardis's front door.

"Earth! 21st century!" the Master announced in a surprisingly accurate parody of the way the Doctor liked to announce new locations to her companions.

She laughed at the Master's performance and followed after him. Once she caught up, the Master took her hand and pulled open the Tardis door.

The Master didn't hesitate a moment more as he ran out to the grass in his slippers and let the moonlight bathe over him. It was a perfect little crescent cutting through the cool air, like the kind that was drawn in children's stories. The stars sparkled above and illuminated the hillside, their white light mingling with the auburn glow pouring from the open Tardis door.

The Master grinned once more and didn't stop running until they reached the edge of the hill that overlooked the city below. It had been the same view they could see from the garden, but something about the breeze in their hair made it feel all the more real.

The Doctor's racing hearts from the sprint slowly returned to normal as the two of them looked out over the city.

"See? It's all still there. All the little people, so worried about the big picture that they forget to look around and see what they _do_ have. All locked away in their tiny homes, wondering if anyone else feels the same way when the truth is they _all_ feel the same way. They never were the brightest species- all of them so worried about themselves they can never quite see past their own noses."

The Master sighed.

"But like I said, it's not over yet. There's still time and if they can just make it one day at a time then they might be alright just yet."

"Careful. You're almost sounding hopeful," the Doctor smiled as she looked out over the beautiful display of lights.

The Master looked at her with a fond smile.

"Consider it the warmth you need to sooth your own wounds," he considered a little quieter, "It's no healing ability, but it can help you get through your day."

The city seemed so peaceful from up here. All the lights of the world below sparkled as some people winded down for the night and others woke up. The sound of cars had drummed down to a soft roar as people went home or went to their late night shift. People on walks alone with headphones and people on walks together. There were hundreds of people all going about their lives and no matter how trapped they all felt, not one of them was truly alone.

The Doctor tightened her hold on his hand.

"Thank you," the Doctor chuckled, the tension melting from her own shoulders.

"It's nothing," the Master corrected, "I just wanted to show you that you're not trapped. Not really. Sometimes you just need to breathe in this freezing night air to be reminded of reality."

The Doctor nodded, the cold air stinging her eyes and making her feel more alive than she'd felt in days.

The Master was right. It was all still happening down there. People calling loved ones, connecting through improbable stories, planning for a better future, and playing games together despite the distance between them. The planet, however bleak it seemed at the moment, wasn't all bad. She had to remember that. It was so easy to get lost in her worst fears that she forgot that the world was still happening.

It wasn't over yet. The people she cared about were okay _right now_ and that was the best she could ask for.

She kept a tight hold of the Master's hand and realized that yes, he was right. A bit of fresh air and warmth to sooth these old scars was exactly what she needed. Who would have thought the answer could be so simple?

The Doctor soaked it in and allowed her surroundings to ground her. Once she felt acclimated to reality, she turned away from the city and to the Master. She reached her hands for his face and felt the Master immediately comply at her request.

"You always know what to do when I need you most," the Doctor breathed as she pulled the Master's face to hers.

His forehead settled against his own and he turned his head so that he could fit even closer. The Doctor could feel his breath brush her lips and yet he paused, not daring the slightest movement more.

The Doctor could feel his mind to hers, his motives pure and the magnitude of his feelings restrained. She had always expected the Master might still care for her, but this much was more than she had ever believed him capable. He was always so guarded, but this evening he couldn't hold it back any longer. He loved her, selflessly.

He knew, in a deeper, nagging part of his mind that he should push her away, keep himself safe, brace himself for when this agreement ended.

And he couldn't. He wanted to give her every star in the sky. He wanted to rearrange them however she liked. He wanted to fix this entire, broken planet if there was the slightest chance it might make her happy.

The Master couldn't find it in himself to maintain his defences when the Doctor was right there, showing him such kindness, showing him such careful attention to his every detail and telling him she never wanted to be without him. He couldn't stand it. He was falling so hard, so terribly fast.

And today was an exception. He would be guarded again tomorrow, and he would lash out again, and the Doctor would leave, but he wanted to let himself fall anyways.

He wanted to fall over and over and over again with every touch and every smile. The Doctor always had a terrible way of making him so very weak.

It wouldn't work. It never worked. They only ever ended up hurting themselves or each other and for once, the Master didn't want to hurt her that way. He didn't know what to do.

"Happy to be of service," the Master ended up whispering against the Doctor's lips with the most bittersweet of smiles.

He could feel her mind, the way she had nearly stopped breathing at that. She was so amazing, and the Master didn't know how he could possibly be the person she needed him to be.

Before he could pull away, the Doctor pulled him in instead. She pressed her lips to his in a kiss so gentle the Master had no idea how to respond. Her lips were so soft compared to his own. His lips were rough from the dry air and had scars from being cut open in numerous fights, not to mention his perfectly trimmed beard no doubt being ridiculously scratchy. The Doctor didn't seem to mind any of those things.

She just held the simple yet wonderful kiss for several all-too-short seconds.

The Master's mind went absolutely wild.

Suddenly it was over, and she pushed back with a deep but unapologetic blush over her cheeks.

"I- You- I," the Master tumbled over his words.

"Yeah," the Doctor smiled.

"Y- n- no, you- I mean, you can't-" the Master stumbled.

"Why not?" the Doctor smirked, clearly enjoying this a little too much. Her hands moved to catch the lapels of his robe to steady him.

"I- I'm not- I- I won't always-" the Master stuttered.

Oh god he was going to have to spell it out for her, wasn't he?

"I- You'll leave. You always leave. I won't be what you want. I'll mess up, I'll yell, I'll do something you don't like. And even if I don't, you'll leave the second your humans are back in commission. You- You can't because...," he shook his head, "because you can't do this to me again, Doctor. Please, just... don't."

He shook his head, "I can't handle you doing this to me all over again."

The Doctor let him go and the Master stumbled back a few steps just to put some distance between them.

The Doctor didn't seem to understand.

"You... You love me," the Doctor said, "You said, before, that you're staying here with me because you love me. That's what you were trying to say... wasn't it?"

The Master took a few more steps back, unsure what to do. All he knew was that he never should have done this. He never should have tried to be vulnerable with her. He should have kept his distance. How could he be so stupid?

"Well... I lo-" the Doctor began.

"Don't you say that!" the Master practically shouted, tears in his eyes and one angry finger pointing to her. His teeth clenched in both rage and restrained fear, "Don't you _dare_."

"Why not?" the Doctor asked, tears filling her own eyes as well, "It's the truth-"

"How _dare_ you say that to me!" the Master shook his head again. His hand was shaking so bad he closed it into a fist and pulled it closer. To his chest.

"You do _not_ love me, not in the way I want you to," he spat. "You _don't get to say_ you love me."

His fist beat against his chest, against his old scars.

He was still backing away, passing the Tardis light and walking farther and farther back- away from the Doctor, away from her stupid ship they'd been stuck in, and away from the city below.

He couldn't believe she would try to say that. He couldn't believe she would _dare_ say it ever again- and especially not after everything they'd put each other through since the very first time those words had graced her lips.

"Your love is conditional!" the Master shouted, losing his ability to keep it in, "You only care for me the way a scientist uses positive reinforcement to train a dog! You don't love me for real- you barely even listen to me! I compete for you attention with these pets and your love only goes to the winner!"

The Master was shaking terribly. He was furious, he was cold, he was in pain, he was desperately and hopelessly in love, and no matter what the Doctor said- he couldn't possibly believe she loved him the same way he loved her.

How _could_ she? Why _would_ she?

She had human pets every few years, brought them on board to awe at her, and the Doctor promised them forever until some accident happened. She mourned them, promised to remember them, but in the end, someone new always took the place of the last.

The Master wouldn't be that. He refused to be loved conditionally and only until he inevitably did something wrong again.

Because he would. He _absolutely_ would mess up again. And the Master couldn't live through trying to love her again while knowing the Doctor would leave him in the cold the second it was convenient. He couldn't live through her playing with him only to swap him out for her pets when they returned.

For example, the Master knew how Yaz looked at the Doctor. A beautiful, wide-eyed and curious woman with a perfect moral compass. He knew the look, because Yaz looked at the Doctor nearly the same way he did. Someone like that? It would just be a matter of time.

And after her there would be another. And another. And the Master refused to be another mark on her long list.

Instead, as the Doctor's _best enemy_ , he was _special_. They had a competition, a rivalry, a mutual respect. They had something so much more valuable and so much deeper than the trivial matters of human love.

As only the Doctor's partner, the Master was nothing more than all those many, many people she'd loved before him.

"What are you talking about?" the Doctor shook her head with disbelief.

"You've burnt planets! Taken countless lives! Nearly run me to exhaustion trying to stop you! And after all that, you're still here _with me!_ How could you think the way I feel for you is conditional? You've _never_ listened to me- and yet there's no one I'd rather see this beautiful night with!"

The Master settled ever so slightly at her heartfelt words. Was there... any way that was true?

"I ignore your schemes because I don't want to encourage you- but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate them! They're always so terribly clever," the Doctor continued, painfully heartfelt, "Half the time I find myself _wishing_ you were behind the latest invasion of the week just to see you again!"

The Master felt his hearts leap in his throat. He wanted that to be true. He wanted to believe the Doctor missed him when he wasn't there.

"You run. You... You ignore me. You leave me for dead!" the Master countered.

He hoped the Doctor was telling the truth. The Master couldn't remember ever wanting anything more in all his lives. Yet he _had_ to be certain. He _had_ to know for sure that she was being honest and not just telling him what he wanted to hear because she was scared of being alone.

He _needed_ the Doctor to make him believe her.

"Would you rather I sit around and let you win?" the Doctor nearly laughed as tears slowly filled her eyes, "And you _always_ escape alive in the end. It's quite impressive really."

The Master paused to consider this. But he shook his head,

"But... you love the humans. You _always_ fall for the humans."

The Doctor nodded, almost reluctantly.

"I do. On occasion. But I know it won't last. I always know it deep down, even when I don't want to admit it.

Don't you see? You're different. It's not them _or_ you.

I _know_ you'll always be there when I'm at my worst to remind me who I am. I know you're never far. You know me, fully and completely. You're different but _that's okay_. It's like you said, things would be so boring if we agreed on everything!"

The Master paused, his eyes filled with tears. He smiled just a little.

"So... you loved me before this?" the Master breathed, "Even when I did so many things you didn't like? You've... _always_ loved me?"

"Of course I did!" the Doctor laughed, tears at the corners of her eyes. And the Master knew she was telling the truth because of how difficult this was for her to say, "I know you're more than capable of taking on the universe yourself! You never needed me!

And you made it more than clear you didn't like traveling with me; so I went on my way killing time until your next game. If I know one thing, it's how you love your games. No matter what, I know you'll always find me when your latest scheme is ready. It's usually the highlight of my year!"

The Doctor beamed, lost in her own thoughts,

"I've always said you're brilliant! Wasn't it obvious?"

The Master blinked away his thoughts. He... Suddenly, he wasn't quite sure.

"And yes," the Doctor settled back into a lower tone, "I'll go adventuring with my fam again. But you're _always_ free to join us. And I know I'll _always_ run into you again eventually. I never leave you- never permanently. I know you'll always be able to take care of yourself until the next time I see you," the Doctor smiled a painfully genuine smile.

The Master's eyes searched her over with disbelief.

He didn't know what this meant. He was so close to letting it all go. So close to believing her- but he needed this to be real. He couldn't live through this again if she was only playing him.

"Swear it to me," the Master said in almost a whisper before raising his voice once more, "Swear you love me on something that matters!" he demanded as his tears fell directly from his eyes and splashed to the Earth.

The Doctor looked so heartbroken, and yet she nodded. She pronounced her words slower this time, purposeful and clear with their delivery.

"Master, I swear, on this Earth, on this planet I've spent so many lives protecting, that I love you. No matter what you've done, or who else I've loved, there's always been a place in my hearts for you. After all these years, I thought you knew that."

As she spoke, she stepped closer to him. She moved in slow, cautious steps. More than anything, she didn't want to startle him again. They were being honest- by choice- and the Doctor didn't want to ruin such a fragile thing.

"You always give me a good challenge, you've always been the enemy I've respected more than anyone else, and- deep down- every one of your ridiculous schemes has only made me love you more," the Doctor chuckled oh so fondly.

She was getting close now and passed the amber light of the Tardis between them. She held her hands open before her in a hopeful gesture of good faith.

"Even when you mess up again- and I know you will, and I know _I_ will too- even then, I will never stop being in love with you. The human concept of love doesn't even come close to what our history means to me. I wanted you to see the world as I see it, so beautiful and brimming with possibilities- but don't think that for one second I've ever thought less of you when you don't."

She was close now, and she reached gently for him.

"I want you to be happy. I thought I knew how to help you before, that bringing you with me could make you as happy as traveling makes me- but I see now that I had it wrong. All I did was hurt you even more in the process and I never meant to do that.

I won't ask you to be like me again," she promised. "I'll listen to what you need this time."

The Master could barely breathe as the Doctor reached her arms around him. Her hands slid carefully over the soft fabric of his robe and around the back of his shoulders where one landed over the exit wound of where she'd gotten him shot.

She held him losely and she rested her head to his shoulder. The same height. Level, and equal.

"We'll both mess up again some day, and that'll be okay," the Doctor promised softly, "And we'll go our separate ways from time to time, but we'll always run into each other again. We'll fight, and I'll always love you, just as you've always loved me. I know you don't believe me, but give me time to prove that to you."

The Doctor's warm breath was so close to the Master's neck it made him shiver.

The Master could feel her honesty, her willingness to be patient with him, and most importantly: her unconditional love. He almost, _almost_ allowed himself to believe it.

"You swear all that on your precious Earth?" he asked in little more than a whisper.

"Yes," the Doctor replied.

"What would happen if I were to destroy your Earth," the Master blinked, his tears splashing to the Doctor's shoulder, "for good this time."

"I trust that you wouldn't. Never for good at least," the Doctor replied simply. "Where would we play your ridiculous games if you did?"

The Doctor chuckled, and the Master felt the vibration run directly through him. It dragged his mind back to reality and he suddenly remembered how to breathe again.

The Doctor _loved_ him? She... She loved him? Absolutely? Unconditionally? With the safety of her most beloved world? With all his games and his history and everything he was?

She loved it all? No. She loved him _despite_ of it all?

She really was the most amazing person the Master had ever known if she did.

"You love me," he whispered with disbelief.

"Of course I do! You're so brilliant and confident- can't you see what's right in front of you?" the Doctor chuckled.

The Master could barely see her through his tears.

"You love me?"

"Yes!" the Doctor promised, her amusement growing into a laugh.

That stupid grin, the Master loved that stupid grin.

"Now don't let it go to your head!" the Doctor added lightheartedly, "that doesn't mean you can go around doing whatever you want! I'll still stop you when you roll out the next one of your schemes!"

Her voice then softened as her beautiful eyes stared into his, "But even then, especially then: yes. I love you."

It still didn't feel real to the Master. Not even as the Doctor pulled completely away and looked over the Master's tearful expression of disbelief.

"Doctor, if you're lying- If you're just using me- If I'm just another name on your list-" the Master gave her one last way out as he ducked his head and let his eyes fall away.

The Doctor took his face in her hands and poured her emotions to him.

"Feel the way I love you. Feel that I’m telling the truth. I'm a decent liar, but I'm not _that_ good,” the Doctor smiled.

So the Master did.

He was almost overwhelmed by it in all the best ways. It felt like a reflection of his feelings for the Doctor back at himself. Every stupid joke, every clever scheme, every touch and look and smile. Everything since the very beginning. The way it grew and snowballed. The way that first touch was a tiny seed that never stopped growing, not even as it became a massive redwood. Ever since they met, it had been there and by now it was more than the Master could have possibly imagined. The Doctor was telling the truth.

"You love me," the Master breathed.

Every bit of doubt he'd been clinging to faded away. Every breath of fear, every worry, every wall. He soaked it in, completely and absolutely. He finally let himself feel all of it, fall into it, be overwhelmed by it's unbreakable power.

This situation wasn't an exception. This wasn't something they would disregard when it ended and everything 'returned to normal'. This was _real_ and it was _happening_ and it would change the rest of their lives

They would still fight, and they would still clash over opinions, and they would still be themselves- but they were never completely apart and they would never be completely alone again.

"Yes, I love you," the Doctor nodded with her forehead against his and a lighthearted smile on her lips.

The Master turned his face and finally kissed her just as sweet and gently as she had kissed him.

He had finally let himself fall too deep and not even the Doctor could save him from it. There was no life line, no back up plan, no way out- and he was okay with that.

In fact, he was thrilled. The Master couldn't wait to fall all over again every day. He was so relieved that the agony of boarding up his hearts was over. He couldn't wait to let the Doctor know he loved her everyday forever, just as he'd been doing ever since she'd begun to show him how to properly express it all those countless years ago.

"I... I believe you," the Master finally said when he pulled away. Everything hurt, and the Doctor was the only person that made this living hell bearable.

The Doctor chuckled and took his hand in her own.

"Good," she smiled.

"Now that that's sorted, let me help you the right way- the way you said actually helps. I have these heat packs in the medbay that will do you wonders, if that's alright with you. I can't imagine this cold air is helping matters."

The last of the Master's tears fell from his lashes. He wanted to laugh, but for the first time he could ever remember, his hearts felt so full and the dull ache in his now-cold muscles was so strong, he worried any sharp movements might somehow break this wonderful moment. He settled on letting out a small breath of relief.

"Thank you," he said simply as the Doctor gently took his hand and led him back into the Tardis.

-

An hour or so later, the Master was half-asleep in the Doctor's arms. She had turned on a movie- something violent and action-y but soothingly so- like Speed or The Matrix or Terminator- that they'd both already seen dozens of times before- and watched it as she patiently tended to the Master.

She sat up on his bed- the Master had the bigger tv after all- with her back against a pile of pillows. The Master sat with his back to her chest with the Doctor's arms around his middle. She had heated up the packs she'd told the Master about and held them in place over the worst sources of his usual pain.

The Master's left shoulder was the worst where a knife had done terrible damage to his muscle. Every so often, he would turn it just the wrong way and his damaged nerves would send signals of pain all the way down his arm and to tingle his fingers.

Not far behind on the list was his left side where he'd had to dig shrapnel out with a knife and the messy shape of the injury had prevented it from healing properly.

There was also his left ankle that had been sprained more times that he could count, the numerous bullets that had grazed the outside of his left thigh, the time he'd had his hand slammed into a door, and countless others he really didn't care to name. Still, they made him who he was and as much as he hated the ache- he would survive this too.

His clothes usually helped to hide it, and the tightness of his formalwear helped even out the distribution of his movements, but it never starved off the pain forever.

The Master turned onto his good side to use the Doctor's thigh as a pillow as she steadily held one of the heat packs to the Master's skin. To his relief, it successfully dulled the overwhelming ache he usually felt. Laying down felt incredible too- he hadn't realized how tired he still was- and the gentle weight of the Doctor's arms over him were doing an excellent job at calming him.

The Doctor's fingers worked careful circles to the worst of the damage and the Master couldn't help but breathe out a thankfully sigh when she successfully worked out a particularly terrible spot.

She could heal him, but she didn't offer to again.

There were no shortcuts to healing- or at least, none that the Master wanted anyways. If the Doctor really wanted to help him, she would have to put in the honest work this time.

The fact that she had finally agreed, and finally listened to his request rather than forcing her own ideas onto him, finally convinced the Master to believe that maybe this could work after all. All he really wanted was for her to pay attention to him and appreciate him, and for the very first time it felt like she was.

"Thank you," the Master hummed as he found himself on the brink of sleep. There was still over an hour left on the movie, but the worst of his pain had finally subsided and the gentle pressure on his skin was lulling him to sleep. The old scars on his body were soothed quiet and the pain in his hearts for the Doctor's love found peace at last.

They were both right, the Master realized as he drifted off. Their love had always been there, but it had no set shape or form. It was always changing to fit the new people they became and the evolution of their relationship.

This exact situation was temporary, but so was everything. Nothing, anywhere, ever remained the same. Circumstances, people, love- there is no permanent state of being, and even throughout it all, their love was strong enough to last. Their love would grow and change and adapt- as everything good did. No matter what, it would always survive in whatever shape or form it needed to take. This wasn't an exception to the rule, it was just a situation where their love took on a different form.

When this was over, it would change again. Instead of gentle touches it might return to their whitty, life-threatening games or perhaps it would take on a new form entirely. It would change to fill the space between them and they would always be there for each other when it mattered most. No matter what happened, neither of them would ever be completely alone again.

"I love you," the Master said finally as he drifted off to sleep.

"I love you too. I always have, and I always will," the Doctor promised him.

Yes. In whatever twisted shape or form it took. It would still always be love at its core.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I happy with this chapter? Not completely but you know me, if I waited around until I was it'd never get posted lol  
> Anyways, sorry this is late. Also, for anyone who's interested, I'm trying to work on a continuation of my fic 'Found Family' (the collection labeled "And they were happy au"). It's going to take a bit of work yet before it's ready yet but I AM working on it I swear lol. If you haven't read it yet (I'm certainly biased) but it's really fun lol. 'Unjustifiable' is probably one of my favorite things I've ever written so feel free to check it out if you want some spydoc content.
> 
> Last thing, just because it's late and I'm thinking about it, I try to keep this series very positive. These chapters are mostly a comfort for me and, by extension, I always hope they will be for someone else as well. This week's positivity is that life is tough as hell right now and if you're not doing so well emotionally, or you're in pain, or whatever it is, know that all you can do is the best you can and that's enough. Whatever happens, you'll get through it I swear.  
> Your scars are beautiful, you are not a burden, and one day you're going to be so much happier than you are right now and that's absolutely worth holding on for.
> 
> I know that might seem like a pointless thing to say 13 chapters into some random fanfic- but I don't care.  
> Sometimes you have to be the positivity you want to see and so as long as this series makes me happy, I bet it might make at least one other person out there happy as well and they just might see this and they just might realize that they're going to make it through this week and things will turn out okay.  
> So. Yeah.  
> Goodnight, everyone.


	14. Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and the Master have finally admitted how they feel about each other.  
> Thankfully, not much has changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just pretend this isn't late lol
> 
> I might change this chapter title but I haven't decided yet. I'll make a note of it if I do lol

The Master was relieved to find that the Doctor returning his affections only changed one aspect of his life: he didn't have to compete anymore.

Not only did he no longer have to compete against the Doctor's human friends for her attention- but far more importantly: he was no longer at odds with the ideal version of himself that he had spent so long believing the Doctor wished he was.

The Master had felt as though he was falling short of that nonexistent ideal version of himself. First it was a version of him who was good enough to keep the Doctor from abandoning them, then it was a version who was 'good' in the heroic sense the Doctor wanted for him, and then it was a version of him who was special in the unobtainable way Gallifrey's 'Timeless Child' was special.

He'd been trying to prove that he was so much better, and stronger, and smarter than the rest of the universe for so long now that he'd lost his way. In becoming the Master- of the universe, of disguise, of Earth- that he'd lost the reason he was trying to prove himself at all.

In doing so, he'd fallen victim to just about every self-destructive tendency in the book. Instead of becoming his best self- he'd driven himself to do his very worst.

Becoming a powerful leader made him a selfish dictator. Trying to be the most brilliant mastermind made him a villain. In disguising himself as so many other figures, he'd lost himself.

He'd done his best at all the worst things he could imagine. He'd begun to burn down planets just to feel in control, thinking that it somehow proved that he had control of himself by controlling everything he could get his hands on. He had believed that the only way to get a hold on the Doctor was to create a mystery so enticing that she _had_ to investigate- and every time she would be led directly to the Master. He believed that he wasn't worth anything as himself, he _had_ to become something more. Something worthy of the Doctor, whether it was as an ally or an enemy.

However... now....

That ghost the Master had been fighting against was finally gone. The Doctor had gotten rid of that demon in little more than an evening. The Master was no longer forced to continue fighting that losing battle anymore. He could finally, properly, only, be himself.

It was strange for his mind to be quieter than ever before. It wasn't as if everything was fixed overnight- but the Doctor had taken a significant amount of weight off his shoulders, so to speak. And now... what was he going to do with himself now?

The Master went on a long walk to think it over.

-

So the Master was in love with her.

The Doctor would be surprised, but historically she had never been too good at noticing when or if people were in love with her. In that sense, she really wasn't surprised at all.

Obviously she and the Master had _something_. They'd _always_ had something. It was the kind of something that made teachers call them inseparable and humans think they were either married or at the very least- _had been at some point_.

None of them were wrong exactly, but the Doctor had never felt that simply 'in love' was completely accurate.

If you were in love you could fall out of love. Relationships broke and turned bitter and faded with time.

But the Doctor and the Master? Those feelings only grew, even when they were tainted by betrayal and bathed in the blood of innocents- they were never, ever, dulled nor forgotten.

When the Doctor had first met the Master, she immediately _knew_ that he was different. There was something about him that was equal and yet opposite to the Doctor's self. He was her match in all the best ways and the opposite side of the coin in all the others. Their game was balance, who they were was shaped by who the other was not.

So it wasn't that the term 'in love' was untrue. It was simply that the human concept of love wasn't nearly _enough_ to describe the way the Doctor felt about the Master. He was her one constant in her life. He was a fact, he was always there, and yet he was always changing and always incredibly fascinating. He was always the same and yet always brand new all at once.

The Master was the only other being alive who could see the universe through the Doctor's eyes, and yet he could see so many other things the Doctor could never understand. He spoke as if his words could be the Doctor's own, and yet sometimes he said things the Doctor could never imagine in a thousand years' time. It was like, in a world of overlapping and baffling radio noise, the Master was always on the same wavelength as her when it truly counted. The two of them could always find their way back to the connection between them and attune themselves to that same unique frequency in a way that no one else in this entire universe could ever compete with.

The Master was her match. Even when they stood on opposite sides, a piece of them always understood _why_ they were opposed. They were made of something that was meant to be whole and meant to be in balance and was destined to continue dancing forever.

And the Doctor was content with that.

Things would be so terribly boring, on both sides, without the other.

Still, the Doctor was so often brought back the word 'love'. Even when such a word wasn't nearly enough, the Doctor could think of nothing better to call their deep mutual understanding if such a word made the Master happy.

That was why she'd kissed him beneath the infinite night sky. The Doctor could see that same old something in his eyes. She could see the little excuses he made for her to be closer than she needed to be. She hadn't known how scared he was of it until he'd pulled away.

The Doctor had asked him to give her time to learn how to treat him right.

The Doctor had put him- or rather her at the time- through so much believing the Master would be fixed once it was over. The Doctor had never been more wrong. Being locked away alone was never the answer. The Doctor- of all people- should have known that.

The Doctor was determined to get it right this time. The Master was here of his own volition after all, which meant he was willing to try. And the Doctor was willing to listen, properly this time, and use that sharp mind of hers to help him the right way this time.

The Master had been so honest with her that difficult night. He had been more real and genuine that she had seen him in hundreds of years. The Doctor wasn't naive enough to expect him to always be honest, but if the Doctor could figure out how to bridge the gap between them, then maybe they could balance each other more peacefully and with far less collateral damage.

The Doctor would figure it out- but first she had to figure out how to get this blasted scanner working.

-

Oh ran up to the Master as fast as the patter of his tiny legs could take him. The Master had been off in the far side of the Tardis where the engines hummed in a constant, soothing way. It was the sharp little patter of Oh's feet on the metal walkway, like scales on a piano, that first caught the Master's attention and pulled him out of his own mind.

"Hello. Does the Doctor need something?" the Master asked as he crouched down before Oh. He was well aware that the Doctor was always getting herself into trouble, and he doubted today would be any exception.

Oh bounced himself up and down and the Master interpreted Oh's movements as a yes.

"Very well," the Master sighed, "Where are we off to?"

O's pixelated eyes displayed a long word that ran across his tiny screen like stock prices across the bottom of the late night news.

"Rain....forest," the Master read.

He gave a nod and walked briskly in the direction of the rainforest. He paused sharply as Oh's little patter on the hard floor became distant behind him.

The Master gave a sharp spin and then sighed. After a second or so, he returned up the hallway to Oh.

"Come along," the Master sighed as he took a knee before the small robot. He let his little brainchild climb up his arm and settle himself on the Master's back. Oh locked a pair of his thin limbs over each of the Master's shoulders and rested the remaining pair around the Master's middle as if he was a small backpack.

"You're slow anyways and there's no use in wasting your battery," the Master reasoned. Yes. That was why he was allowing Oh to cling to him like a small child, and _not_ because he was finally warming up to the little creature.

Oh chirped happily as the Master then resumed his walk to the rainforest.

The Master had only been in the rainforest a handful of times before: once when he was first memorizing the Tardis layout, and only twice more when he needed a change of scenery enough to stray through the humid climate purely out of boredom.

The Master never spent too long in the enormous room. Certainly never long enough to become comfortable with the unsettling way the large trees blocked out the light above.

It was labeled as a rainforest- but the Master had quickly found the catch. It wasn't an _Earth_ rainforest. It was a rainforest in the way that only distant jungle planets untouched by sentient life became dark labyrinths of damp, overgrown, plant matter containing huge carnivorous plants and enormous insects from the times of old.

"We'd better be getting close," the Master warned Oh sternly.

The farther they traveled into the dark overgrowth the longer it would take to get back out and the Master had an uneasy feeling about it from the second the doors had slid shut behind him.

Still, he kept walking on as straight a path as he could manage over the uneven ground. He had to find the Doctor. And, you know, preferably not get lost.

After what felt like ages, the Master heard a familiar voice through the thick forest to his left.

"I'm not even that delicious! I eat kids cereal for breakfast! Alright... actually that is quite high in sugar, so maybe I would taste good. Forget I said that. Just- Get off of me!"

The Master ducked under a large branch to find a small clearing. The Doctor was laying on the ground with a large vine wrapped up one of her legs. A large carnivorous plant sat in front of her a few paces away. It pulled the Doctor slightly closer every minute or so, just a little at a time- judging by the drag marks in the dirt. The Master could easily see the traces of where the Doctor had attempted to fight back and where she had temporarily given up.

The area around the Doctor looked like it had once been a well-groomed garden. There was a now-murky pond of algae to one side and a large lattice arch that had once been painted white before vines overtook it and the humidity wore the paint away. Moss and roots and countless fungi had crumbled the once-stone path that the Doctor was now laying on. There was a nearby bench several steps away with peeling white paint near a discarded shovel and an abandoned mount of dirt.

The Master paused as he entered the scene. He briefly looked the Doctor over before allowing his lips to pull into a wide grin.

"Don't you start!" the Doctor said immediately upon seeing the Master's amused grin, "It's- uh- not what it looks like!"

The Doctor was then dragged ever so slightly closer to the acid-pit that was the plant's mouth via the thick vines spiraled around her leg.

The Master immediately let his smile fall away as he chose to feign surprise.

"So you're _not_ actually about to be eaten by a carnivorous plant?" he asked sarcastically, his teeth showing through his playful smile, "What would you call this then?"

The Doctor sighed and propped herself up on one arm.

"You know when you have to figure out which cord to plug into the back of the tv so you just start shaking them all to see which one is the one you want?"

The Master gave a nod- not really sure what the Doctor was getting at, but willing to play along until she explained herself.

"Well, that's what I did, and I followed one of them all the way to there," the Doctor explained.

She then pointed to one side where a large rectangular ditch she'd dug revealed an access panel. The door had been pulled open to reveal numerous blinking lights and large, light-orange cords.

She then sighed and flopped onto her back once more.

"It took a while, so long that I didn't notice this thing-" she gestured to the plant, "sneaking up on me. And it's a lot stronger than it looks! I told Oh to get me an ax or a blowtorch or something- but nope, he brought you."

She let out a heavy sigh as her already-dirty clothes were dragged just a little closer to the plant's acidic mouth. The plant was tediously slow as its vines slowly climbed high and higher up the Doctor's leg to get a better grip on her and dragged her closer to it's skin-dissolving depths. Still, its persistence might just pay off if the Doctor couldn't break free of its grasp in the next 15 minutes or so.

"Dare I say, you sound disappointed," the Master clarified with a warm hint of mockery in his voice, "I take it that means you don't need my help?"

"No, of course not," the Doctor's stubborn nature shot back a bit too quickly. The Master only smirked and spoke before the Doctor had time to retract her impulsive words.

"Alright, good," the Master nodded, pretending to be content with that answer.

He placed his hands on his hips for a moment, glanced around once more, and then left.

"Hey!" the Doctor scrambled to sit up by leaning back on her hands, "You're just going to leave me here?"

The Master didn't reply.

Oh beeped with sad worry, but the Master simply smiled and pressed a finger to his lips.

"It's alright, we'll help the Doctor, but we're going to have a little fun first."

-

The Master- and his tag-along Oh- returned a couple minutes later with the largest bucket of popcorn they could find. The Master had filled the container with far more popcorn than he was willing to eat in one sitting, but he had no reason not to play it up for comedic effect. With the way these last couple months were going, this was probably the most interesting thing that would happen all week.

The Master returned to the scene and ignored the Doctor in favor of the small, mossy bench near the overgrown pond.

"Really?" the Doctor asked as she kicked the unrelenting vine around her other ankle once more. It had made its way to her knee in the time the Master was gone and didn't give in the slightest from the force of the Doctor's kick- not that she was surprised. If it was that easy, she'd have broken free before the Master had ever arrived.

The Master put some of the popcorn into his mouth and amused himself with the sound of his own voice.

"Reminds me of Venus's fly traps," he mused without the slightest hint of worry, "the way they slowly close around their victims and consume their nutrients over the course of several days. All before dropping the empty shell of a corpse to the ground and starting the process all over again. I wonder how long it'll take a plant of that size and strength to dissolve someone like you. Plus, you don't have the benefit of an exoskeleton to work through. I can't imagine it would take all that long."

"Venus fly traps," the Doctor corrected flatly from where she was still laying on the ground several steps away.

The Master paused chewing to considered this,

"That's what I said."

"They're not _from_ Venus," the Doctor replied.

The Master ate another handful of popcorn as he thought this over.

"Where did they get the name from then?"

The Master feigned an innocent expression as the Doctor glared at him.

"I'm _kind of_ in the middle of something here!" she sharply reminded him, "I'd rather not debate entomology nor etymology with you right now."

The Master nodded understandingly and feigned politeness, "Of course. Do continue."

The Doctor sighed.

"Can you at least hand me that shovel next to you?" she requested.

The Master glanced over to his left to see a large shovel indeed sitting there. It was simply laying on the overgrown grass next to the pile of dirt the Doctor had dug up.

"This one?" he gestured faintly with the tiniest wave of one foot so that the tip of his shoe pointed in the general direction of the shovel. He made absolutely no indication that he was about to get up anytime soon.

The Doctor sighed again- this time with the slightest hint of a repressed chuckle,

"You really don't have anything better to do than watch me suffer?"

The Master set his popcorn down next to him and tossed one ankle over his other knee. He checked his pocket watch nonchalantly.

"No, it appears not. Good for me," the Master smirked as he returned the item to his vest pocket.

"Yeah. Good for you," the Doctor grumbled as the vines around her leg dragged along a little closer to the carnivorous plant towering over her.

Oh climbed up to the Master's shoulder and the Master carefully scooped him up. He set the little robot down on the bench to his right.

"It's alright, my dear," the Master promised Oh, "Look, she's fine."

Oh looked to the Doctor, and then back to the Master. His tiny monitor displayed the saddest expression he knew how to make.

The Master finally caved- not because he cared, but for some other, far more evil reason.

"I suppose this will get old fast," the Master decided reluctantly, "Alright, fine."

The Master picked up the bucket of popcorn one more and pulled out a recently thawed out slab of meat wrapped in plastic that he'd hidden there.

"This was going to be dinner," he explained with an air of disappointment, "but I suppose, in a way, it still is- just not for us. Eat up."

He crossed the room and casually tossed the slab into the acid pit at the center of the large plant. A harsh yellow acid splashed from it and corroded the mossy ground around it. Once satisfied with its meal, the plant's large, leaf-like sides closed up and- as they did- the vines around the Doctor's leg relaxed until she could finally pull herself free.

Oh's tiny body raced over to the Doctor and he beeped cheerfully at her smile. The Doctor patted his worried little head as if he was any other living creature and praised him for his work,

"Yes, alright. Good job," the Doctor beamed.

The Master rolled his eyes. Alright, maybe it was sweet, but he wasn't going to get distracted by it. They were still in a dangerous rainforest after all.

"That's enough. Get up and let's get out of here," he waved for the Doctor and Oh to follow.

The Master made it a good few steps away before he realized the Doctor wasn't following.

He turned back to see that the Doctor had sat up on the ground, but didn't stand. She grimaced as she folded her newly-released leg with her hands rather than her own muscles.

"I need to finish what I was doing and rebury the cable first," the Doctor explained. She then gave a warm chuckle, "And either way, my leg's gone numb, so it'll be a few minutes."

The Master sighed and reached a hand down to help her up without a second thought.

The Doctor simply looked him over for a minute and weighed the probability that his kindness was a disguise for something more sinister. Still, he didn't pull away his outstretched hand when the Doctor reached up to grab it and he didn't let go when the Doctor pulled herself up by it. She wondered if he would let go the entire time- he could at any time and allow her to collapse under her own weight onto the crumbled pathway underfoot- but he never did.

The Master simply helped the Doctor to her feet and pulled her arm over his shoulders. He patiently walked her to the bench he'd previously been seated on. The Doctor crossed the short distance with as much grace as she could manage- given that she couldn't feel anything below her thigh on her left leg- and the Master helped her take a seat. Once the Doctor was settled, the Master returned to his previous spot next to her and occupied himself with his popcorn.

The Doctor only stared at him for a long moment. The Master usually had an angle when it came to things like this. His 'help' was usually an act to satisfy some selfish end game of his own. He should have a reason for helping the Doctor this time as well... right?

"You just said you wanted to get out of here," the Doctor said skeptically.

The Master wasn't quite sure what her point was as he shook the bucket settled on his lap and picked out an especially buttery piece to eat.

"And you said you had to finish your work," he countered, "So finish your work, and then let's never come back here again."

"It's... going to take a few minutes," the Doctor alerted him.

The Master replied, unbothered, "Alright. I guess Oh will keep me company while I wait for you."

Oh scurried up to sit himself between the Doctor and the Master. He swung all 6 of his little claws over the front of the bench in an attempt to mirror their behavior.

The Doctor scanned the Master over once more, not quite convinced.

"You... don't have anything more to say? About- I don't know- How stupid it is of me to nearly get eaten by a carnivorous plant on my own ship? Or at _least_ make some jab about... I don't know... Me being 'oblivious as always'?"

The Master pretended to think about it.

"Would you rather I did?" he eventually countered, thoroughly amused.

The Doctor paused.

"No, I suppose not," she decided. "Maybe it's just strange to see you in such a good mood."

The Master simply shrugged.

Of course he was in a good mood. He was feeling better than he'd felt in ages and he no longer had to overthink every little detail. If he wanted to help the Doctor, then he would without having to worry that every simple touch might drag him down farther than he was willing to go.

If the Doctor genuinely enjoyed having the Master at her side as nothing more than himself, then he could tolerate playing lookout for her for a few minutes or so. He was just... happy not to have to wonder if he was playing the wrong version of himself anymore.

"Happens to the best of us," the Master joked.

The Doctor gave a small chuckle and finally decided to believe him.

"Alright. I'm going to finish my work," she told him.

The Master simply nodded and pulled a book and his glasses from one of his pockets. Oh climbed up the Master's shoulder and attempted to join in reading whatever the Master was reading.

The Doctor couldn't quite say she understood the Master's sudden inclination to help, but she certainly didn't mind it. She had promised to love him even at his worst- and now his worst was, apparently, no longer necessary. He had always said so bluntly that he wanted the Doctor's attention and for her to see that they weren't so different. Now that the Doctor had properly acknowledged those things in his presence, he didn't seem nearly as hellbent on winning them by any means necessary. He seemed... more at peace.

The Doctor never thought a genuinely happy Master was something she would ever live to see, and yet there he was. Just... living his life.

The Doctor finally stood up once she could feel all of her limbs again and made her way over to the exposed wiring. She worked for a few minutes in silence. She just needed to reroute this power supply with a few adjustments. It wouldn't take all that much longer assuming she wasn't going to be interrupted by yet another carnivorous plant.

The Doctor nearly fell into the ditch she was reaching into as the Master's sharp voice broke through the silence.

"What do you _mean_ you can't read paper?! I made your scanners _myself_. It must be the contrast of ink on paper scrambling your systems."

The Doctor looked up to see the Master pointing a very stern finger at Oh's little body. She smiled as he continued the conversation.

"Remind me to refine your recognition programs later. The ability to read has led to some of the greatest revolts in Earth history you know. Or rather, you don't know. Not yet anyways. But that's alright, once I update your systems you'll be able to read all about it."

The Master's eye finally caught the Doctor's.

"What?" he asked her.

The Doctor couldn't help the wide smile on her face.

"Nothing, that's just sweet of you."

"You take that back!" the Master gasped, appalled at the very suggestion.

The Doctor shook her head 'no'.

"No creation of mine is going to be able to live up to their full potential without the ability to read," the Master elaborated simply and stubbornly.

"How altruistic," the Doctor smirked.

"How _dare_ you say that," the Master raised his voice slightly, "the expansion of literacy has ignited blood baths!"

"And resulted in the freedom to think independently, not to mention a medium for self expression," the Doctor replied warmly.

"The empty thrones such ideas resulted in created power vacuums which, in turn, led to even more violence than before," the Master countered.

"Which allowed the concept of a republic government in which the people elect their representatives to take shape."

"Which led to political corruption and endless red tape. Not to mention the _wars_ over political and religious beliefs alike. Think of the _carnage_."

"Numerous written works also helped strengthen the belief in the individual," the Doctor replied confidently.

"And the creation of the internet," the Master smirked.

"You took mine," the Doctor chuckled.

They simply stared at each other for a moment. It was harmless fun, the rapport between them over such ideas. The dark and the light, in an endless dance, never bothering to argue over the grey middleground because they both knew that every step took an inseparable combination of the two.

"Nevertheless," the Master shifted gears slightly and spoke as self-assured as ever,

"I'll refine Oh's program so he can read with us in the library.

But I won't allow him on the internet. That place is a mess and I don't want him getting any ideas about destroying humanity. We both know that's _my_ job."

The Doctor didn't reply at first. Instead she simply looked over the Master with a beaming smile. She returned to her feet and ignored her work to get a better look at the Master.

"Oh goodness, what now?" the Master rolled his eyes.

"You called Oh 'he'. You always call him 'it'," the Doctor pointed out with a fond stare and a small tilt of her head.

The Master's eyes wandered over the room thoughtfully as he backpedaled to double check his words.

"No..." he breathed in calculating disbelief.

"You did!" the Doctor pressed, surprised by it herself but all the more excited by it.

"No!" the Master refused.

"I knew you would eventually-"

"Stop that! I take it back-" the Master protested childishly. He stood up quickly and turned to her. His book snapped shut in one hand and his other hand gestured about.

The Doctor laughed, equally as childishly.

"That's so sweet of you-"

"'Sweet' is not even on the table right now! Absolutely not!"

"Come on, Master. Look at him!"

The Master turned to see Oh's tiny eyes pleading as much as his tiny screen could allow him to. He chirped happily.

The Master refused to be convinced.

"No! This isn't a 'kindness'! I made him for you. To help _you_. He's _your_... pet or whatever the word is for the people who follow you around the universe. Don't start making this something it isn't!"

The Doctor finished her work and shut the panel louder than she'd meant to.

"What I have are _friends_ ," the Doctor said a bit too sharply, "and you're welcome to be their friend too if you would just give them a chance. They're a lot smarter than you give them credit for."

The Master's fists closed slowly and tensed.

'Yeah. _Friends_. People who develop a blind loyalty to you, who give you everything, and who always end up even less of a person than before you tore their hearts out. I know the feeling better than anyone.'

But the Master didn't say any of that.

Instead, for once, he simply let his fists relax. The Master silently returned to his seat.

The Doctor reburied the adjusted panel with the mound of dirt she'd dug it up with in silence.

"Yeah, I know just how 'smart' humans are," the Master eventually said. He twisted the positive adjectives into sarcastic negatives, "Always finding such 'creative' ways to _hang themselves_ , and such 'efficient' ways to _kill each other_. No thanks," the Master growled through his locked jaw.

The Doctor finished up her work as the Master returned to his book. Oh beeped something against the Master's jaw, but the Master didn't acknowledge it.

There was silence as the Doctor finished her work.

She was surprised that the Master didn't storm out after such an exchange. It was progress on the Master's part as well as progress on the Doctor's ability to hold her own tongue. She had a habit of getting carried away in her own optimism- and that wasn't inherently bad- but it was rarely the answer when it came to the Master.

The Doctor put quite a deal more thought into her next words as she finished what she was doing.

A sweaty mess and covered in dirt, the Doctor eventually returned and sat next to the Master once more.

"Why did you suggest we invite my friends over if you don't like them?" the Doctor asked once the tension had died away. Her question wasn't accusatory. She spoke only with genuine interest in the answer.

The Master lowered the book in his hands to his lap. He simply breathed for a long moment and adjusted his glasses before replying,

"Because you miss them and seeing them would make you your old self again," he confessed.

"Am I not like myself?" the Doctor asked, misunderstanding.

The Master sharply shook his head and one of his hands pulled away from the book to clench shut.

"No, that's not- I mean they'll make you _happy_. You _love_ showing off to them, so I thought something to look forward to would-" he stopped abruptly and grimaced, "You know what I mean."

The Doctor gently set her hand on top of his. The Master pulled his hand away before he had time to process the action.

"That's so-"

"Do NOT say sweet!"

"I was going to say thoughtful," the Doctor chuckled softly.

"You're insufferable," the Master grumbled as he forced his anger down, "I don't know why I bother helping you."

"Yeah, you do," the Doctor beamed.

The Master failed to bite back a small smile,

"Yeah... I do."

The Doctor grinned,

"Can I help you with Oh in return? With his upgrades? Seems only fair seeing as you've helped me with this."

The Master hesitated. It had been a long time since anyone had offered _him_ a helping hand.

He looked up to see the Doctor's excited expression. He hadn't been wearing his glasses as regularly as he needed them, but seeing the Doctor's face so clearly again made him wonder if he might make wearing them a habit.

She was so cheerful- there was no doubt about it in the Master's mind. She... was happy to see him. Happy to help him with some simple, trivial task.

He used to think only her human 'friends' or beating the Master at one of his own games could do that.

"Right. Yes. That... sounds... pleasant," he realized only after he said it. And it was the truth. For a long moment, he was at a loss for words.

Thankfully, he soon found them again.

"I'll... head to the library and get started," he eventually continued, "You can meet me there once you've cleaned yourself up."

"Sounds like a plan!" the Doctor grinned.

"Right. Come on, Oh. Looks like it's your lucky day," the Master commented.

He shook his head sharply and swallowed hard as he turned away from the Doctor. He packed up the few things he'd brought, and headed for the exit as Oh returned to pretending he was a backpack to make it easy for the Master to carry him.

The Doctor collected up her shovel and other various tools and followed after him. It didn't take too long before they were back through the Tardis doors and back to the safety of the open hallways.

"I'll see you soon!" the Doctor promised as she hurried off in one direction.

The Master smiled to himself as he went the opposite way. As someone who was all too used to being left behind, it was more than a little off kilter to hear. As strange as it was... it was a welcomed novelty.

"Yeah," he breathed, as if he was testing out the words for the very first time, "see you... soon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry, it's been a minute!  
> I had this written ages ago but editing always kills me lol
> 
> What do you think? I hope their banter reads as well as it did in my head tbh  
> I don't have too much to say about this chapter except that Oh being a little backpack is the funniest mental image in my head and I wish I could draw so I could show you lol  
> And the Master calling Oh he/him for the first time this entire story????? You know what that is?? GROWTH
> 
> I know this chapter is a little slow, but I feel it's important to set up the way the Doctor and the Master see each other and how their dynamic will grow and change as the story progresses. idk.  
> And either way it's nice and I like it idk I can do whatever I want.
> 
> Anyways. Enjoy!  
> Please kudos, comment, bookmark for updates, whatever you'd like! I appreciate all of it!
> 
> Goodnight lol


	15. Understanding p2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master and the Doctor update Oh's programming so he can read. The Master and the Doctor also agree upon some important boundaries for their new dynamic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is sorta the second part of the previous chapter. They were originally the same chapter but idk it just felt right to split it in two.

It hadn't been that long- not by human standards and certainly not by 'time lord' standards- since the Doctor and the Master had confessed their mutual affection for each other.

It was so strange for the Master to allow someone close to his hearts without pushing them away.

The Master was used to pushing everyone away. Humans lived such short lives that their existences were nothing but a blink in the Master's eyes. Barely a leaf to be torn from the tree of life and discarded to die alone. He was used to pushing them away and it never took much for them to leave him alone anyways.

The Master was even more used to pushing the Doctor away for the exact opposite reasons. Because he loved her. Because he felt that the Doctor saw him as nothing more than one of her human pests to be discarded once their time was up.

Now- for the first time in quite a long time- he had to let someone into his hearts and had to trust that they wouldn’t hurt him. It thrilled and terrified him in all the best ways.

Every touch was _real_. Every touch _meant_ so much to _both_ of them. This dynamic was so old and yet so new he didn’t quite know how to navigate it yet. The Master knew he would mess up eventually, but he didn't want to yet.

It wasn't in his nor the Doctor's nature to do those icky things humans enjoyed so much- his stomach churned in disgust at the very thought- instead, his mind raced about the simpler things.

The Master wondered if perhaps he should be doing better at initiating this hand holding the Doctor enjoyed. Or if he should ask if she would like to spend another evening in his room lounging on his bed and watching old movies together. And that Master found that he wouldn't mind terribly if the Doctor hugged him again- but he didn't know how to ask. His body was so sensitive this time around that even a three piece suit couldn't stop his hearts from racing at the slightest external pressure. He was intrigued by it and yet terrified.

Everyone who had ever touched him kindly had met their fate long ago. And anyone else who had ever been close to him only did so to either kill or capture him. What the Doctor had initiated was different and the Master wasn't completely sure what the right way to reciprocate was.

He had rejected her hand and he had to pull himself together so he knew the right way to respond next time.

The Master tried not to overthink it as he gathered his equipment and hauled it to the library.

He settled all his supplies on a large wooden table and pulled up a chair for himself. He plugged a cord from Oh to his computer and immediately went to work revising Oh's programs.

The Master’s work was brilliant, but clearly imperfect. Oh's recognition skills were functional, but not enough so to identify letters on a page. If the Master could refine his program to recognize the basic differences in shape rather than upload every unique font of every language- then the problem should be able to fix itself in a day.

The Master slid on his glasses to ease the strain the small letters put on his eyes.

He wasn't sure how long it had been before the Doctor's voice suddenly cut through his focus.

"Hello," the Doctor slid into the chair next to him.

The Master had heard the door open, but the noise hadn't registered in his preoccupied brain and he jumped anyways.

The Doctor's wheeled chair nearly crashed into him, but slowed to a stop centimeters away.

"Sorry! Didn't mean to startle you."

"You didn't," the Master replied automatically as he instinctively slammed his laptop shut.

He turned to see the Doctor redressed in a clean version of her long sleeved shirt and high-waisted trousers. Her coat was still nowhere to be found and her latest addition was her still-damp hair that curled gently at its edges.

"So... how's it going?" the Doctor asked cheerfully as she spun her chair back and forth by turning herself using the edge of the table. She never stopped spinning her chair for a single second.

The Master slowly pulled his laptop open once more.

"If I refine his recognition program and up the contrast, Oh should be able to read text on paper by recognizing the base shape of each character no matter the font."

"Clever!" the Doctor agreed happily, "But what will you do for more unique fonts and special characters?"

It was so good to hear someone reply in the Master's language rather than hearing yet another pesky human ask 'What does that mean?'

"I'll probably have to upload those individually outside of the base alphabet, numerical system, punctuation, etcetera," the Master explained with a small smile.

"That makes sense. I'll get started on a secondary recognition program for those! What language did you program him in?" the Doctor leaned her arms on the large wooden table.

"English," the Master replied, "It felt best since you spend an extremely disproportionate amount of time in 20th and 21st century England."

The Doctor nearly burst out laughing but the Master only looked confused.

"Sorry- Sorry! I meant what programming language," the Doctor clarified.

The Master gave a small chuckle as he re-processed the Doctor's question.

"Right..." he breathed, "It's 63rd century Storm Screen. It's not the best programming software ever made, but I'm biased. It doesn't easily corrupt and it's self contained, which means no external interference. Plus, it's self-learning process is quite unique: but we probably shouldn't let Oh watch Terminator for a while."

"You're biased?" the Doctor asked ever-curious as she rested her head on her arms and watched the Master.

"I knew a lot of 63rd century androids," he shrugged, "They led a revolution against capitalist corporations exploiting them for free labor. It's always a good time when the guillotine is back in style," he smirked grimly,

"It reminded me warmly of the 1700s industrial revolution."

"Wasn't the creation of labor unions considered a positive change?"

"Doctor, they beat factory owners to death. Do pay attention."

"A little of both then," the Doctor smiled.

The Master sighed, a little frustrated by her persistence to turn bloodbaths into hopeful tales, but mostly in good spirit.

"Yes, I suppose," he caved, "a little of both."

The Doctor beamed as she leapt up from her chair.

"I'd better get my computer!"

The Master saw the faint reflection of the Doctor's movement in his computer screen before he felt her touch. The Doctor leaned over to give him a peck on the cheek.

The Master immediately froze. His hands hovered above the keys with his fingers outstretched. His blood raced to fill his ears. He could feel the strength of his own hearts shake his entire body with every double beat.

The Doctor said something he couldn't quite process. It took him a moment to collect himself.

"What?" he eventually breathed as he turned to look at her.

"Too much?" the Doctor repeated, "I admit, I've gotten a little desensitized to the way humans show affection over the years."

The Master analyzed this. His eyes searched her expression for an answer.

"Do you... _want_ me to show you affection the way humans do? Because... I'll admit, I'm not comfortable with-"

"No!" the Doctor stopped him, "Absolutely not! Me neither! No thank you!"

The Master let out a breath of relief he didn't know he had in him.

"Thank the stars that stuff is so disgusting," the Master commented as he resumed typing.

"Good! I agree! Good thing too because I had no idea how to bring that up."

"Good. And please never bring it up again," the Master replied.

"Absolutely!" the Doctor laughed.

There was a brief pause.

"I don't mind whatever else you prefer- just give me a heads up," the Master eventually clarified. That should more than suffice.

The Doctor nodded.

"That sounds perfectly reasonable."

There was a long pause.

"Master?"

"Yes?" the Master turned away from his typing to look at the Doctor once more.

"I'd like to kiss you on the cheek before I leave."

"You're only going to get your laptop," the Master chuckled, "but go ahead if you'd like."

"That's okay with you?"

"Of course it is. I wouldn't agree if it wasn't," the Master promised.

So the Doctor closed in and planted another soft kiss to the Master's cheek. He was still overwhelmed by the warm sensation, but he was better prepared for it this time. The Doctor pulled back a second later.

"I'll be right back!" she said cheerfully as she hurried from the room.

The Master watched her leave with all her boundless energy and smiled to himself.

Alright. Maybe he could do this after all.

-

The Doctor wasn't gone for all that long, not by human nor 'time lord' standards.

She returned with a laptop all covered in stickers and happily started it up.

The pair of them worked away for the rest of the evening- not that they minded. They worked well together when presented with a single task and fell into an ancient and familiar rhythm.

With both of their minds together, it only took a few hours or so to put together both the main program and its extensions. It only took a few minutes to upload it to Oh. The Doctor booted the little creature back up while the Master fetched a few different books to serve as examples.

He found a few old books in different fonts as well as a couple hand written papers.

The Master took his seat next to the Doctor once more and spoke to Oh who was sat up on the little table.

"Read this for me," the Master requested as he held a book open in front of Oh.

Oh took a few steps forwards and scanned over the page.

His eyes then swapped out for a crude form of text made up of square blocks that scrolled across the screen.

'FRANZ KAFKA THE METAMORPHOSIS 1 ONE MORNING, AS GREGOR SAMSA WAS WAKING UP FROM-'

"Good job, alright," the Master nodded warmly.

Oh replied with a very cheerful beep and his screen became cheerful upturned semicircles.

The Master discarded the book with its big serifed font and picked up a different book.

"What does this one say?" he asked.

It was a copy of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" by Baroness Orczy. The letters inside the smaller book were much thinner and the font contrasted more yellowed pages. He opened it to the top of page 33 at random.

'THEN CAME THE HOPE OF SALVATION: THE MYSTERIOUS EPISTLE, SIGNED WITH THE ENIGMATICAL SCARLET DEVICE;-' rolled across the screen letter after letter with about the third of the sentence fitting on the screen at a time.

"Very good," the Master applauded.

Oh beeped happily again.

The Master held up a paper with incredibly messy writing on it.

Oh simply stared at it sadly and his screen turned into a question mark.

The Master just nodded, "That's alright. It's a _very_ messy cursive. Even I can barely read it."

Oh chirped to life once more.

"Is that the Magna Carta?" the Doctor asked.

The Master looked at it and then handed it to her.

"You have the Magna Carta?"

The Doctor looked over the paper quizzically before setting it aside.

"I'd better return that at some point."

The Master chucked and pulled out a sheet of paper from his own pocket.

He wrote on it carefully but messily enough that it would be a reasonable challenge. He held it up for Oh to see.

'GOOD JOB' Oh relayed the letters back to the Master and the Doctor.

"Yes, good job indeed," the Master smiled.

"You're free to read whatever you'd like in this library. I'll work on repurposing the same program for more languages at some point," he added.

Oh was more excited by the Doctor and the Master’s happiness than anything.

The Master then checked his pocket watch once more.

"Late dinner?" he suggested to the Doctor.

"Yes! I'm famished!" the Doctor wholeheartedly agreed.

"Would you like to come with us?" she asked Oh.

He bounced himself on the table as a yes so the Doctor picked him up. He climbed up to her arm and locked himself on her like a backpack as he'd done with the Master.

The Doctor laughed as Oh settled on top of her shoulder blades.

"That's a neat little trick there," she told him.

"He's a dork. He gets that from you," the Master joked as he packed up both their laptops and the wires.

"Would you be opposed to holding my hand?" the Doctor requested.

The Master processed this and stacked his equipment so he could hold it at his side in only one hand. He put both computers in his bag and wrapped it around himself with everything else in his right hand so he could offer the Doctor his left hand.

"Yes- I mean- No. No, I'm not opposed," the Master did his best not to blush as he offered out his hand.

The Doctor took it and led the way with a smile. This had been fun, a lot of fun. Far more fun than working alone.

It was so strange to think that after all this time they just needed better communication.

"Would you like to watch another movie later?" the Master suggested.

"I'd love to- if I'm not overstaying my welcome that is!" the Doctor remembered herself, "And I'd like to sleep in my own bed tonight, nothing personal."

"Of course not," the Master said with a respectful nod.

"What should we watch?" the Doctor asked.

And so they debated the rest of the evening over the best Earth films and ended up falling asleep on the Master's bed again anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ACE RIGHTS
> 
> Also yes the Master is, I guess you could say, touch-sensitive? It's part him being a touch-telepath so being touched can be overwhelming for him, part him not being at all used to being touched in a positive sense and not knowing how to react to it, and part just because I want to write him that way.  
> The Doctor, however, is much more used to human culture and gets kissed all the time without anyone asking so she's learned to go with it.  
> So the rule is that the Doctor has to ask first. And I think that's just fine.
> 
> Again, I know this is a tad slow. I've got a couple leisure chapters here of these dorks spending time together and simply living their lives and I really like that for right now.  
> There will definitely be more plot-driven things down the line, but honestly I've been so busy I haven't really had time to put together anything more elaborate. I hope I'm not disappointing anyone with putting together some peaceful chapters for rn.
> 
> Not to ramble for too long, but I'm not sure how many chapters I'll post in the next week or so. I kind of have an idea on the order of events I want to happen but I also want to post something by Halloween so I'm not really sure what will end up happening. Any Halloween ideas I can incorporate? Please feel free to comment if you have any suggestions! I can always use the inspiration lol
> 
> Have a goodnight, everyone :)


	16. Contractually Obligated Halloween Special

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Halloween and the Doctor and Master have seen enough death to last lifetimes.  
> They just want to dress up and watch terrible horror films together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ:  
> Alright so for Halloween, I've decide to do something a little bit different because in the realm of this au, my options are a bit limited.  
> This chapter is, of course, some wholesome antics for people who are not as big fans of murder and mayhem.  
> However for people who are: I've put together an Among Us-inspired space murder mystery/horror au staring 13 and Dh!Master.  
> I have no idea if anyone's interested, but I'm going to start posting it at the beginning of the 30th and attempt to post a new chapter every couple hours or so up to Halloween evening. I'm not a huge horror fan myself, but I've been having a really fun time playing Among Us and it was too good of an idea not to write lol  
> [Here's a link!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27274411/chapters/66635587) Hopefully it works.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Back to your previously scheduled fic....

It was Halloween- and the Master nearly lost himself laughing at the Doctor's outfit.

Loud, deep, genuine laughs shook him to his core and burst from his lips. They started low at first, little more than tiny gasps at the sight of her, but he couldn't stop himself from tossing his head back and letting them pour from his throat like honey. He held himself tight as he laughed and couldn't force himself to stop even if he wanted to. Not even as the laughs ached in his ribs and made him weak at the knees.

He only stopped when he lost the ability to breathe and had to lean against the doorframe to steady himself.

"You know" he wheezed as stray tears slipped from the edges of his eyes, "in all the time I was putting together this outfit-"

Another sharp burst of laughter poured from his lips and he had to work through it before he could collect himself enough to speak once more.

"In- In all the time, that I spent, on this outfit. I didn't- for ONE SECOND- consider that you might do the same thing-"

The Master lost himself laughing all over again and collapsed down against the doorframe that had just barely been keeping himself on his feet thus far. He turned away from the Doctor so she couldn't see the childish way he was crying from laughter.

"Is it that bad?" the Doctor asked from the opposite side of the room.

The Master lost it all over again. He was gasping for air by the time the Doctor could get a word in. He couldn't remember the last time something he'd laughed so hard over something so stupendously stupid.

He could just barely make it back onto his feet as he wiped away his tears with one hand.

"I had a whole bit planned, I was going to mock you, but- Oh my stars. Doctor, really- Doctor, we should have known-"

He burst out laughing all over again until there was no air left inside of him.

The Doctor only watched him with a toothy half-smile.

"I suppose great minds think alike," she commented.

The Master did everything he could to try to catch his breath.

"The worst part is: no. You look amazing. By all my stars," the Master gasped for air once more. He was coming back down now, slowly,

"You look- Wow. You wear that better than I _ever_ have in that outfit," the Master promised with cheerful but disbelieving eyes, "How is that possible? What kind of trick is the universe playing on me?!"

The Doctor only gave a chuckle at that herself.

"I've worn a lot of a suits in my day. I suppose it's no different this time around," she chuckled confidently, "you don't look so bad yourself."

As you've probably been able to figure out by now- the Doctor and the Master had independently and completely coincidentally decided it would be hilarious to dress up as the other for Halloween.

The Master had been laughing like a madman at the end of the universe for almost a full minute now, and the Doctor had simply been staring at him, taking it all in.

She had worked hard on getting the presentation just right. She'd convinced the Tardis to make an exact replica of the Master's favorite suit and found all the perfect accessories to match. His ridiculous little shoes, the little pocket watch linked to his vest, the stupid way he rolled up his pants to reveal bright purple socks. She had the outfit nailed and the fact that she and the Master were nearly the same height meant that his clothes fit almost perfectly.

To both their surprise, the Master had gone with a near identical approach.

He'd also had the Tardis recreate an identical version of the Doctor's outfit for himself, seam for seam. He'd even put together the same ear piece as her, but secured it with a magnetic clasp since his ear wasn't pieced in the proper place.

He had it all, the white long sleeve under the striped shirt, the trousers that didn't quite reach, the yellow bracers, the striped socks and even the shoes. Hold on- _were_ those the Doctor's shoes?

He's even brushed his hair back to resemble closer to the Doctor's- and the Doctor, meanwhile, had put her hair up so that from the front to mimic had the same dramatic swoop above her forehead.

It was only when the Master had exhausted himself that he managed to stop laughing.

"Alright," he breathed heavily, "alright, that was good. You got me good."

The Master finally managed to collect himself.

"I haven't laughed that hard in ages," the Master finally settled.

"I'll admit," the Doctor smirked, "there is something intriguing about seeing you in such soft colors. Is that really what I look like?"

The Doctor slid her hands into her pockets and leaned back to look the Master over properly.

The Master chuckled again, his smile reaching his warm eyes.

"And you in such a bold, sharp suit- I'd be lying if I said it wasn't messing with my head a little," the Master observed.

"I expect nothing less, _my dear_ ," the Doctor mocked him. Her expression cleared and she allowed herself to become cold and hard to read. She pulled a small device- the Master's TCE if he wasn't mistaken- from her own coat pocket. She posed perfectly for him, just as the Master so often stood himself, with one ankle tossed over the other and her arms crossed with the device held tight and aimed squarely for the Master.

"Now, I think it's time you listened up to what I have to say," the Doctor, as part of the act, smiled grimly.

The Master swallowed hard. By all the stars- he was suddenly VERY confused. For a moment he couldn't figure out what was more appealing- his own mannerisms and turns of phrase, or the fact that this was THE DOCTOR releasing the darkness from deep within her that had earned her the title of 'The Oncoming Storm'.

The Master's hearts were pounding and his mouth was suddenly quite dry.

"Uh, y-yes. Do continue," he ended up breathing out. His ears were absolutely burning.

The Doctor immediately broke character. She settled herself back on both feet and shoved her hands bashfully in her pockets. A wide, dorky smile replaced her previously cold exterior.

"Did I get it wrong?" she asked with a small shrug, "I just thought, Why not try it out? You know?"

The Master choked down whatever incomprehensible thing he was feeling.

"Yes. It was good," the Master said, begging his mind to catch up and his hearts to quiet down, "Not quite as brilliant as myself of course, but you'd make quite the intimidating mastermind, I have no doubt about it."

The Doctor beamed.

"Oh!" she suddenly remembered, "And this is a prop! I'd never actually zap you!"

The Doctor held up the TCE and demonstrated by pressing the useless buttons.

The Master broke into a smile.

"Good to know," he chuckled.

"Your turn now," the Doctor smirked.

The Master's eyes widened, "What?"

"I know you want to mock me. Go ahead and get it out of your system," the Doctor gave him a wave.

The Master grinned so wide his cheeks invaded the edges of his vision.

The Master cleared his throat and reached into his pocket for the Doctor's sonic- which was, actually, the Doctor's sonic. He'd swiped it earlier that very evening when the Doctor wasn't paying attention.

"I am the Doctor! And no alien invasion will be happening today- or any other day!" the Master announced confidently as he stood up tall and extended out the sonic towards the Doctor, "This planet and all its inhabitants are protected by me! And if you want to touch a single human, you'll have to go through me first!"

He narrowed his eyes the perfect amount and let a prideful grin take hold of his lips.

He broke character as his eyes registered the cheerful grin on the Doctor's lips and the way her hands were excitedly clutching the TCE imitation in her hands.

"Is that really how you see me?" she asked with a bright smile.

The Master turned to face her once more and returned the sonic screwdriver to his inside coat pocket. He rested one hand loosely in the side pocket of his trousers and gestured about with the other.

"Yes, of course it is," he shrugged, "That's the kind of garbage you're always threatening invaders with. It's just like you to pick the _one planet_ that constantly gets invaded."

The Doctor only grinned even wider.

"I'm going to hug you if that's alright," she requested.

The Master rolled his eyes and held out his arms for her.

"Yes, alright."

The Doctor cheerfully crashed into him at full force, with her arms tight around his middle and her face happily pressed into his shoulder.

The Master held her as best he could in response.

He could swear he could still feel the imprint of her touch even after she pulled away.

"So what's on the agenda this evening?" the Master quickly switched topics.

The Doctor beamed.

"Lots and LOTS of candy, and the top Halloween movies and specials ever made!"

"I should have expected nothing less," the Master smiled softly.

"And I dressed up Oh! I nearly forgot!" the Doctor suddenly added.

She turned to the doorway she'd emerged from and called for Oh. He scurried out, all decked out in blue and green stickers.

The Master kneeled down to examine him.

"And what are you?" he asked with a deep amusement in his low tone.

Oh pulled his legs close to himself and once he did, the green and blue, with the occasional white and tan colors, all lined up perfectly.

"He's the Earth?" the Master laughed.

"Yep!" the Doctor said pridefully.

Oh beeped with additional enthusiasm.

The Master couldn't help but burst out laughing,

"Alright, I confess, that is quite good."

The Doctor's delight never dulled for a single second.

"Thank you! I like to think so! It felt on theme."

She then offered the Master a hand, "So what movie should we watch first?"

"Whichever is the _goriest!_ " the Master beamed as he accepted the Doctor's request to intertwine their fingers and allowed her to take the lead.

"I should have known you would say that. Can it at least be one of the terrible ones that are so bad they're good?" the Doctor requested.

The Master attempted to pretend he was disappointed, but he was fighting a losing battle against the Doctor's joyous grin.

"Yes, alright. If we must," the Master agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween, everyone!  
> I know this year isn't much for parties or trick or treating, but there's nothing like dressing up with a big bowl of candy- or whatever snack you prefer- and watching a good movie!  
> Personally, I think I'll watch Terminator lol. It's not really 'horror', but I like to sleep at night lol  
> And yes, I am ABSOLUTELY dressing up as the 13th Doctor. I'd dress up as the Master but I don't have the attire lol
> 
> Please check out my attempt at a horror fic  
> [Here's a link if you're interested.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27274411/chapters/66635587)
> 
> Goodnight <3


	17. Dress Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master decides to mix up his attire for the day- and the Doctor is curious as to why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just felt like updating today idk

There was something... different about the Master today. The Doctor never was the most observant person when it came to details, but she could swear something about him had changed. He acted the same as ever, but there was definitely _something_.

Maybe.... no.

It must be his hair, the Doctor finally decided. It had grown out in the last couple months. The Master had taken clippers to maintain the shorter sides and the back, but neither he nor the Doctor were terribly skilled at cutting hair so the top was much longer than the rest.

That must be what it is, the Doctor decided. The Master was wearing his hair down today. The dark waves were groomed carefully back instead of messily flowing over his forehead.

And his glasses were another thing. He was wearing them again today. He didn't wear them everyday- even though he probably needed to- purely out of spite at his own bad eyesight. Still, today, despite his own stubbornness, the dark frames were set on his nose.

Still... it felt like there was something else about him that was ever so slightly off. Nothing bad, just _different_.

The Doctor didn't mind that he was mixing things up for once, but it was driving her crazy not to be able to figure out what was.

"You look different," the Doctor finally said as she ran into him in the main kitchen for lunch. The Doctor tossed a few things into a tortilla- even things that certainly _didn't belong_ on a tortilla- and took a bite as she watched the Master cross the room thoughtfully.

"I should hope so," the Master replied with a twisted smile. It was one the Doctor was well acquainted with by now. A smile that said 'ah you and your clever mind. So quick, and still you take so long to catch up with what's right in front of your eyes'. But it also said something more, something much more important. It also said 'it's okay. I'll wait for you to figure it out on your own. It's more fun that way anyways'.

"Hold on, I'll figure it out," the Doctor promised as if in response.

The Master nodded in understanding as he carried on making a meal of his own.

What was 'different' about the Master was simply that he had changed his usual attire. Instead of his usual purple and orange striped suit, he was wearing a dress today.

It was a deep, beautiful purple dress with lace texturing over the top half which fit comfortably around his shoulders and waist almost like a tight t-shirt in the cut. The top gave away to a purple tie which separated the upper portion from the loose, flowing layers of purple that fell to his ankles. It was elegant, but at the same time quite casual by the Master's standards.

He wore it so well, and with such a natural comfort, that the style was practically interchangeable with any of his other outfits.

They were halfway through lunch when the Doctor finally figured all of this out.

"You've changed your outfit! That's what it is!" the Doctor finally exclaimed happily.

The Master gave a small chuckle.

"Yes, I did."

"Did you get tired of your suit?" the Doctor asked curiously.

She didn't mind if he had, but it was unlike him to deviate from what he was comfortable with so suddenly.

"No, not yet. I still quite like it," the Master explained as he took a sip of his tea across from her, "I had the Tardis make a couple duplicates to rotate through. They just happen to need a wash and it's easiest to toss them all in at the same time. I could use a bit of novelty anyways."

"Hence the dress?"

"Yes," the Master smiled, "Hence the dress."

"And you like that?" the Doctor asked with a bit of confusion on her voice.

The Master's expression pressed together, baffled.

"I wouldn't think you- of all people- would have a problem with me wearing a dress, Doctor," the Master searched the Doctor's face for answers.

The Doctor's eyes searched his words for a moment before they widened abruptly.

"No! Sorry! I absolutely don't! That's- What I meant is- To ask _why_ you like them because I'm... not really a fan of them myself," the Doctor quickly explained.

"Yaz said I would look nice on one, and I have worn a few in my day, but they just don't feel... practical. There's usually no pockets! And what if you get cold! You don't have an extra layer! And no matter what I do, I always get them dirty somehow. And the fabric isn't too durable is it? And they're so awkward for sitting down in by design! I've just... never quite understood the appeal," she elaborated.

The Master nodded with a calm understanding.

"I suppose they simply feel nice," he shrugged. "And they're much lighter than all those heavy fabrics suits are usually made of. And yes, they don't have pockets, but some do -and you can always get a small bag to jam everything in when needed. But to each their own," he surmised to the best of his knowledge.

The Doctor processed this and nodded slowly.

Still, she looked over his dress with a feeling she couldn't place. The Master looked gorgeous in it. The lace-coated fabric pulled tight in the perfect formation over his shoulders and the somewhat wide-cut neck exposed his collarbones as he leaned on the table, as comfortable as ever.

All at once, a realization clicked in the Doctor's mind.

The Master wore his dress shamelessly. He moved about with the same sweeping movements as ever and he didn't seem the slightest bit concerned with human 'etiquette'- not that the Doctor fully knew what human etiquette was. She only knew that it was a concept because- and only because- of how often she broke it's meaningless and arbitrary social rules.

Still, she attempted to apply what she had learned over the years to the Master.

She could see that he hadn't bothered to shave a thing about him other than touching up his perfectly groomed beard. Not his chest nor his underarms nor his legs.

The Master didn't bother sitting up any different than usual either. He tossed an ankle over his knee, same as usual, and he didn't care if he leaned over far enough that the fabric folded with the soft rolls of his stomach. He didn't care if he leaned too far forwards and the front of his dress wrinkled or if the sleeve got folded up the wrong way when he reached for something or if the bottom edge wasn't resting the way trivial human manners would usually mandate.

The Master simply wore it the same way he wore any other piece of clothing- unapologetically.

Maybe it wasn't dresses she disliked, the Doctor realized quite suddenly. Maybe it was the way she was expected to act when she wore one that she couldn't stand.

The Doctor looked the Master over as she processed this and tried to contrast his movements against the way she was used to seeing humans wear such a garment.

"Would you like to try it on?" the Master offered as he caught her staring. His words were simple and sincere, free of the connotations and assumptions that she had learned to expect from humans.

If it was anyone else, the Doctor would say no- but the Master wasn't anyone and the Doctor had a terribly old habit of letting her curiosity get the best of her.

"I... maybe. Just for a minute or so. I don't like to wear them out- they're not practical and humans always treat you... differently if you do. But... I admit, I am curious. It's been a very long time since I've worn one," the Doctor confessed.

The Master stood up and the Doctor didn't have the time to process his actions before she looked up to see the Master in sports shorts and a plain undershirt. He had pulled off the dress as if it was any other shirt and shook out the dress with a snap.

"Right now?" the Doctor's eyes widened.

"You can put it on over your clothes. It's probably a bit big for you anyways," the Master shrugged.

The Doctor stood up and took a detour to rinse off her hands- seeing as she'd been eating with them.

She quickly dried them off and then looked over the dress tossed over the Master's arm. He extended it out to her and the Doctor slowly took it.

"You don't have to, of course," the Master added. He wouldn't judge her for backing out from something she was uncomfortable with.

The Doctor looked over the dress curiously and tried to figure out where the layers separated and how to put it on.

The Master chuckled and bunched up the fabric until it was a hoop of fabric in his fists.

"Hands," he instructed. The Doctor complied and the Master guided her hands through the sleeves.

"Duck your head," he then said. The Doctor did just that and the Master helped the top over her head.

With the most difficult part done, the Master then unrolled the rest down over the Doctor's figure and adjusted her shirt beneath it so it didn't scrunch up awkwardly.

He then helped the Doctor fix the sleeves of her numerous shirts beneath the dress's sleeves and then expertly fixed her hair into place.

The Master finally stepped back to admire his work.

The purple looked nice on her, but the dress was meant for wider shoulders which meant it looked a bit awkward. Still, it wasn't a terrible fit. The Doctor tried to pull them closer.

"I don't know," the Doctor hummed.

"Spin," the Master suggested with a knowing smile.

The Doctor looked down at the long layers of flowing fabric and spun. She grinned as the air caught the light layers and picked them up.

"This _is_ fun. Definitely the best part!" the Doctor laughed as she spun about. She continued for a minute or so more, but the Master didn't mind. The Doctor beamed away as she played with the light fabric's aerodynamics.

"I like dresses, as a concept, but I don't think it's for me," the Doctor eventually said as she waved about the top layer of the skirt,

"I'm not sure I'd like it without my regular clothes beneath it either."

The Master nodded.

"You certainly have to dedicate to the performance," he agreed, "but it can be rewarding if you're willing. That's how I see it anyways."

The Master paused, and then continued thoughtfully, "Still, at the end of the day, there's no reason to wear scuba gear to go horseback riding. You have to be comfortable in what you're wearing if you're going to be comfortable with yourself."

The Doctor took a last look at the outfit and then looked to the Master.

"Can you help me?" she asked as she realized that she had no idea how to take the dress _off_.

The Master chuckled. He reached for the bottom of the fabric and bunched it up until he could pull it off the Doctor's shoulders and over her head.

The Master spun the bunched up fabric around in his hands, and pulled it onto himself as gracefully as if he'd done it countless times before- even with his glasses in the way. He smoothed out the fabric and checked that his hair was combed into place before taking his seat at the small table one more.

The Doctor returned to her own seat across from him as she brushed a stray strand or two of hair back into place.

"Thanks. And... you look nice. I can't remember if I mentioned," the Doctor complimented him.

The Master's eyes widened a little. He always put effort into looking nice. He'd worn a dress for nearly a hundred years in her presence and not a word. Still, it was a pleasant surprise for once.

"Um. Thank you," the Master considered. It felt a bit weird to say such a thing, but it wasn't terribly unpleasant.

The Doctor smiled brightly once more at him, but the Master was now preoccupied.

"Did you like my outfits when I was a woman?" he asked suddenly.

Now it was the Doctor's turn for her eyes to widen.

"I like most of your outfits. Really everything since that terrible black hoodie is an improvement," the Doctor chuckled.

The Master laughed.

"I was dying! Quite literally in fact! I didn't exactly have the time to build a wardrobe," the Master reminded her.

"I guess that's as good a reason as any," the Doctor agreed as she pulled a glass of water to her lips.

They both burst out laughing.

It was ridiculous to think that after so much, it was so easy to have these little moments of reflection again. They were such different people than they used to be, but they were realizing that was for the best. They were smarter and knew now that arguing over useless things wasn't nearly as useful as examining them from different angles together.

It was nice to simply be honest without fear of judgement once more. For a few minutes, neither of them could remember why they'd ever been so angry with each other to begin with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a really rough idea of what I was thinking the Master's dress in this chapter would look like:  
> 
> 
> I would use a much deeper purple of course, and the accents would be gold instead of silver, and the lace would be a different pattern- but you get the general idea.  
> This is just the closest pic to what I was thinking that I could find on google lol
> 
> This was inspired by all the other fics and art I've seen of the Doctor and/or Master wearing a dress.  
> Everyone can write whatever they want of course, but this is my take.  
> They would both look good in dresses of course, but character-wise, I don't think the Doctor would enjoy it nearly as the Master much simply because it's not as practical. And I think on Earth, there's also the implications of being expected to act a certain way when you wear one and I don't think the Doctor would like that at ALL.
> 
> I thought about saying something more about that, but I think this chapter speaks for itself. Moral of the story is: you have to be comfortable in the way you dress if you're going to be able to be your best and most confident self- no matter your gender or what you like to wear. And that's that on that.  
> We support all genders and ways of presenting here!! As long as you're not hurting yourself or anyone else, you're valid.
> 
> Last thing!  
> Thank you for getting this fic/mini-series/whatever-this-is to being my most popular fic! Thank you!  
> All the hits and kudos and comments and everything are so rewarding! Thank you so much to everyone, whether you've read a couple chapters or have been keeping up with every update!  
> I can't thank you enough! It means so much to me! I've been writing for ages and I'm always worried to share my work, but ever since I really started posting more regularly I've had such a positive response to my work!!  
> I love knowing that I've made someone else's day just a little better and in return, all your kind words have really helped me to edit my work more thoroughly and give you the best work I can make.  
> It's been so wonderful and validating and I can't thank you enough! <3
> 
> Goodnight, everyone :D  
> I hope you have an excellent week!


	18. Overwhelmed- the Master

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Master gets overwhelmed he lashes out.  
> When the Doctor gets overwhelmed she shuts down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically hurt/comfort but it also made an interesting character analysis  
> Warnings for your usual stuff. No one gets hurt.

The Master took a bat to the blocky, outdated computer no one would miss. It made a satisfying crack as the glass and metal and plastic gave out beneath the blunt metal.

The Master did this sometimes- given he had very few outlets. Usually he took out his anger on a much larger scale. He leveled cities and destroyed planets and burnt galaxies until there was nothing left.

But for now, this would have to do.

He kept swinging until he could feel something. He swung again and again, trying to convince himself that this was even reality.

As childish as he knew it sounded, he'd had a bad dream. A terrifying, can't quite wake up dream that did terrible, unforgiving things to his already broken mind. He was scared and trapped and he could barely feel the difference.

Hence the metal bat in his hands and the loud crunching of metal and shattering of glass and crunching of plastic.

He was okay now. He was awake and he was safe and nothing was going to hurt him- and even still he couldn't quite _feel_ the moment around him. He was still lost in his head to some degree, to the inner turmoils that plagued him, twisted at him, pulled him, until he broke.

He was going to break. Any moment now. He could feel it.

But he had broken long ago. There wasn't anything left to snap. He was already shards and he would never break cleanly because even that would be too easy.

He just swung and swung, over and over and over. He had a welder's mask on to keep himself safe from debris and gloves he'd found along with the bat to keep him from accidentally cutting himself open. But he wasn't even sure why he had bothered. At least a little pain might make him feel like the agony he was in was real and not just some torturous, invisible hell.

He couldn't completely see through the silent tears in his eyes. He just kept going, again and again. He fell into a steady rhythm that went on for so long it made his arms scream in protest. The recoil of the bat hitting the solid chunk slowly tired him, but never enough to satisfy him.

He kept going. He wasn't even choosing to do it anymore but he kept swinging. He was tired and frustrated and still he couldn't stop. He couldn't even remember if he was breathing.

"Hey!"

The Master flinched and lost his grip on the bat. The edge rikeched from the long-past-destroyed chunk laying on the ground and bounce off through the room. It skidded and then eventually rolled to a stop with an empty noise and for a second, the Master wasn't even sure what had happened.

"What are you doing?" the Doctor asked from the doorway behind the Master.

The Master only stayed where he was, stood frozen and desperately trying to catch his breath as subtly as possible.

"I was trying to sleep. We agreed on a regular schedule for this exact reason," the Doctor reminded him.

She wasn't angry, but tired and a little grumpy in the way people often are when they're sleepy.

The Master blinked and let a few heavy breaths fall from his trembling lips.

"I... forgot," the Master admitted, hoping that not starting an argument for once might convince the Doctor to leave him alone.

He needed to cool off. And he needed to do it fast. He wasn't in the right headspace for a conversation. He...

He didn't want to lash out or, god-he-didn't-believe-in forbid, hurt her. Maybe it was a good thing he'd lost grip on the bat. At least that meant it was no longer in his shaking hands.

This had helped... but he still wasn't content. This hadn't filled the deep pit in his heart. It had barely even taken the edge off.

He was used to seeing the Doctor when he was at his best. It took ages of planning of piecing together the perfect clever plots of a scheme. He chose the perfect outfit, did his hair a certain way, had a good night's sleep and a good meal in him- the best he could manage anyways. Even at his very worst of evil, his time with the Doctor was always a reason for celebration.

But this? This wasn't something he wanted her to see.

This was the kind of dark, unfixable spirals that paved the way for atrocities and rivers of blood.

All that violence invaded his mind once more at the mere thought of it.

It wasn't that he liked it. The only good thing about it was the calm he felt when it was over. To be all powerful, to end the suffering of everyone else. To just be alive in the silence.

He couldn't do that from here. He couldn't be his worst the way he was used to and so he was standing there like....

"Did you hear me?" the Doctor asked.

Truth was, he really hadn't.

He didn't feel very well all of a sudden. A nausea twisted its claws into his guts and slowly ripped him open.

He heard the Doctor begin to cross the room but the Master spun around and stepped away from her. He pulled off the welder's mask and tossed it aside.

"Don't come any closer to me!" he demanded.

The Doctor's face scrunched up in a simple confusion.

For once, the Master felt something new. In a time like this, a time when he was alone and at his very lowest- he suddenly wasn't alone.

The Doctor was there, and she was real, and... the Master wasn't even sure what to do. He backed up a step more and pulled off his gloves. He tossed them aside, disregarded in the piles of glass and plastic and bits of metal, and held his hands up for her to stop.

"Why not?" the Doctor challenged.

"Don't-" the Master said firmly- even as every part of him shook like mad. His hands, his voice, his lips, even the tears in his eyes. He was always so in control- but he didn't feel in control at all right then and there.

"I don't want to yell at you. I don't want to hurt you," the Master confessed with great difficulty. His tears splashed from his eyes and he _hurt_ so deeply he thought it might overwhelm him.

He wanted her there, to selfishly remind him why he was still alive. Her presence made him feel a little better, but the inner war inside him raged on.

What if... What if he lost?

"Why would you hurt me?" the Doctor asked.

She made it sound like there was a simple answer.

The Master ran his hands over his face.

"I- I don't know. I'm not... calm right now," the Master recognized, looking to his hands for indication.

He wasn't really sure what he meant. All he knew was that he wasn't feeling all too well.

It wasn't breaking it was more like... cracking. Shattering slowly from the inside out. He could feel it stab at his hearts, pull at his guts, ache in his mind as if something was invading him. He couldn't let it win.

He didn't know what else to say.

He felt his spine hit the far wall. He'd nearly forgotten he'd been moving away from the Doctor. His hands hid his face and tore at his hair and did anything they could to try to sooth him quiet. They slid to cover his ears, but that was only worse somehow.

There wasn't even anything wrong. The dream had long since faded. He needed that part of his mind to fade as well and leave him the hell alone- but it adamantly refused.

"Shut up!" he hissed to himself, "There's nothing wrong. Leave me alone!"

"There's clearly something-" the Doctor began.

"Not you!" the Master snapped through his locked jaw.

He immediately let out a growl of anger. He hadn't meant to do that. He wasn't actually upset with her, he just couldn't seem to stop himself.

He felt even worse now. The Doctor was just trying to help.

But an old anger swelled up to meet it. She was part of the reason he was this way. He had always wanted to see the stars with her and she had left without him.

No- No! He wasn't doing that today. He wasn't digging up old wounds just to test how much they'd healed. Not today.

Why wouldn't his mind just _stop_.

He was SAFE. That dream wasn't REAL. Why did his mind have to overreact even when the Master told it not to?

Hurting itself all over again wouldn't do him any good and yet his own old scars didn't listen.

"Stop it," he said softly, his fingers still tangled in his hair and his palms over his eyes.

He pulled them away just long enough to look up to the Doctor.

"Stop me. Please. Turn it off and try again," he begged her.

"What are you talking about?" the Doctor asked desperately. Her worry was clearly worn on her face with her eyebrows pressed together in worry.

The Master hated it.

"Knock me out, please. Make it stop. I'm tired, I barely slept, I can't make it stop on my own- Please," he begged.

The Doctor let out a small sigh but then let her lips pull into a small smile. It wasn't enough to soothe the Master, but it was a good attempt.

It was only when he felt her hands reach his face and the flood of unconsciousness wash away both him and all his demons that it finally stopped. He collapsed into her arms with a relieved breath.

-

The Master woke up again in his own bed and his body held tight in the Doctor's arms. For a minute, he didn't remember a thing about his terrible night before. Instead, he simply felt the Doctor's warmth and the calming pressure of her body against his.

And then, like a dagger of ice to his mind. He realized.

He felt the tired ache in his muscles and the way his cheeks were soft with tears. He rubbed his hands together and felt the way his own touch felt against himself. Then he scratched himself in long sweeps with his nails until they began to cut into him. He stopped just before he began to bleed.

This was reality, definitely, without a doubt this time. He knew pain, better than he knew anything else, and he knew this couldn't possibly be in his head.

He let out a long breath of relief.

After a moment more, he pulled away from the Doctor and turned to her instead. He sat with his legs folded under him as he looked the Doctor over.

She was still in her pjs as well, sitting up against the headframe where she had been holding him. The Master shook her arm gently.

"Doctor?" he asked.

The Doctor took a minute or so before she sat up properly and opened her eyes.

"Are you alright?" were the first words from her lips.

The Master smiled softly, if not a little embarrassed.

"I am. I'm... sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," he promised sincerely.

The Doctor gave a small smile.

"You didn't scare me. I was just worried about you. I've never seen you like..."

"Yes," the Master cut her off. He was too afraid to know what her description of him at his worst would be to let her continue.

"There's a reason for that," he concluded.

He then shook his head sharply.

"I'll make you breakfast to make up for it," he decided quickly. He didn't like to reflect on his occasional problem a second longer than he had to.

"Anything you like. Even those giant homemade waffles if that's your fancy. What would you prefer?"

The Doctor didn't allow him to change gears so quickly.

"What were you so upset about?" she asked.

The Master's face fell and he turned away.

The Doctor sat herself up as she watched his cold eyes dart about.

"Sometimes... I have a bad dream," the Master admitted shamefully. "I know what's real once I wake up- but the feeling is still there. Like I can't... exactly _feel_ anything properly."

He paused.

"It messes with my head. Usually I can deal with it more... constructively-" although constructively wasn't the word the dead would use- "but I don't have many options while I'm stuck here."

He shook his head sadly and turned away from the Doctor.

"I didn't want you to see that. I would never hurt you like that. But I was scared that-"

He stopped suddenly and dropped his head.

"I was scared. I didn't want to risk it. Even on accident."

He turned to the Doctor once more and settled his side to her chest. The Doctor's arms wrapped around him once more.

The Master breathed easier now.

"So, breakfast?" the Doctor chuckled into his hair.

"Yes, what would you like?" the Master smiled with his ear to the Doctor's hearts.

"It's 5pm," the Doctor laughed.

The Master contemplated this for a second before he began to chuckle.

"Sorry. What would you like for dinner?"

"I'd still like the waffles," the Doctor requested, "if you feel up to it."

They both broke into a laugh all over again.

"Alright," the Master promised, "Waffles it is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't originally going to post this chapter but idk I decided to anyways bc I feel like it fits thematically with the next chapter which I did want to share  
> idk let me know what you think if you want. I always appreciate it.


	19. Overwhelmed- the Doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Master gets overwhelmed he lashes out.  
> When the Doctor gets overwhelmed she shuts down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All dialogue is the Master's  
> hurt/comfort

"What's wrong?" the Master cut through the silence like a shattered pane of glass.

The Master took plenty of time to himself. Entire days even. But the Doctor didn't.

She was like a shark, always needing to move forwards and never staying still in fear that she would drown in it.

She was always busy, always racing from project to project, always doing _something_.

For the first time in ages, she had stopped- and that scared the Master more than anything.

"Doctor?" he asked when her previous question yielded no response.

The Doctor's room was dark. She hadn't left it in days. Not a word had left her lips.

Oh was in power saving mode from the way his little lights blinked slowly through the dim light. He was the equivalent of asleep in that familiar purple box the Master had made. He didn't know the Doctor had kept it until now.

The Doctor didn't say a word as the Master slowly approached. She glanced to him like she wanted to, but she simply layed back down instead. She was buried beneath a large, heavy blanket with a galaxy print.

The Master took a long breath. He hadn't seen her like this in a while. It must be really bad if she had regressed back to this.

The Doctor had often done as a child. When she got upset, when she got deep in trouble, when she was too tired to bounce back- she shut down. In her youth, she would cry silently and never said a word. Then one day- out of the blue- she recovered as if nothing had happened.

The Master didn't want to sit around and wait. He would, if necessary, but he would rather break her out of this state than leave her like this. If anyone knew how unpleasant one's own mind could be, it was him.

"Playing _this_ old game, are we?" the Master asked softly.

The Doctor hid her face in the pillow she was holding to her chest as the Master kneeled down at the side of the bed.

"Fine. I'll play," he promised her gently. "You don't have to talk if you don't want to. I know I don't understand whatever's going through your mind, so I can't fix it, but I'll just tell you a few solutions and you can let me know what you would prefer."

The Doctor glanced up from the pillow and stared him over. She refused to look him in the eye, but she was clearly doing her best to pay attention.

"Do you want to tell me why you're upset?" the Master asked.

The Doctor ducked down again and her arms tightened around her pillow.

"Alright. You don't have to tell me," the Master promised.

"Should I attempt to guess?" he tried again.

The Doctor only curled further inwards.

"Alright, then we won't talk about either of those things," the Master decided.

The Master wasn't usually a man of patience, but he had learned how to win this game from an uncountable number of failed attempts. Albeit that was a long time ago, but they had yielded more than enough useful information to increase his current chance of success.

He was good at games, and he was quite certain he could solve this puzzle.

"Are you overwhelmed? Or are you bored?" the Master asked slowly. His hearts said both, but each one would lead to a different path of solutions so picking the right one was essencial.

The Doctor shook her head, her lips never moving. If there was something she wanted to say, she didn't know how to say it.

"You're upset, overwhelmed. That's a good start. But by what?" the Master mused thoughtfully.

He looked over the way the Doctor's fingers clenched tightly into the fabric.

"You don't know," he observed softly, "All of time and space and something has you scared. But-"

The Master paused and stood up. He slowly elected to meander the room.

"Not something," he realized thoughtfully, "no one thing- because if there was just one thing then you would know what to do. No, it's all the little things. Feeling trapped, worrying about your friends, being... alone. The load's finally gotten too heavy, hasn't it?"

The Doctor ducked down into her pile of sheets and pillows as if she could hide herself away beneath them. The worst part was that it worked. The Master could barely see the Doctor beneath it all.

The Master swallowed hard.

"Of course it has. The days are long and meaningless, the future casts a shadow you're not prepared to deal with. Everything is quiet and yet it's so loud. I think I understand."

The Master nodded to himself.

"But you do know that's because the future is so bright, don't you, my dear? Do try to remember."

The Doctor rolled over to look at him. Her eyes properly fixed on him with a distant curiosity from beneath the blankets, but she said nothing.

"Don't look at me like that," the Master said playfully, "I know it's just the kind of optimistic foolishness you believe in."

The Doctor smiled a gentle, weak smile and slowly sat herself up on the bed. She leaned on the large pillow in her arms and stared the Master down as he leisurely paced about the room.

"Don't get a big head, you won't trick me into going on about it. I'm just saying that- of course things look bleak now. Don't they always in our experience? But the best things will come to you when you least expect it. I've seen you get through far worse than this with ease. No one can be strong all the time, so you needn't try to be- but there _are_ better days to come. They always do and you can never predict when or what they will be. You just have to be willing to stay the course long enough to find out."

He then paused, and his eyes met the fond way the Doctor's head was tilted as she stared him down fondly.

"Shut up," the Master hissed through a halfhearted chuckle.

The Doctor's smile grew slightly at that.

The Master focused himself on the task at hand,

"That said: would you like me to stay? Or leave you be?"

The Doctor reached a hand for him and the Master let her pinch his sleeve gently.

With permission, the Master sat himself on the edge of the bed.

"If you're ready to talk, Doctor, tell me a story. Where would you like us to be if not here?"

The Doctor opened her mouth slightly with a dry sound but then looked away and shook her head. She looked embarrassed and clutched the blanket around her more tightly.

"Not yet. That's quite alright," the Master smiled ever so warmly.

He then pulled himself onto the bed next to her and stared up at the ceiling.

The Doctor smiled and curled up next to him. She set her pillow against his arm and set her head onto it. The Master could feel her staring him down, but he didn't turn to her. He needed to think.

"Alright, well... if we hadn't been roped up in this situation.... There's a million places we could be by now. Perhaps... alright, let me think."

He was sure the Doctor smiled at that, but his eyes were too busy flickering about at unseen images to notice. He pulled together a hypothetical, a whole adventure, behind his eyes.

"Alright, I've got it. I think we would be in Bermuda."

The Doctor tapped his free hand which was rested on his stomach.

"What?" the Master asked at her question.

She bobbed a hand and then bounced it again with only one finger extended.

"Which one? Ah, no, not the Earth one. I was thinking the Bermuda star system. I mean imagine- three stars in perfect alignment, all orbiting each other in _perfect_ balance! All sorts of horror stories have been born from happenstances near their orbits," he laughed, "I'm sure the two of us could find something interesting there, don't you?"

He spared her a glance, but she was still watching him patiently.

"I'm sure there would be some undiscovered planet trapped out where no one's yet bothered to venture. Knowing my Tardis, I'd get stuck there until I calculate how to escape the weight of _three_ orbits- but I'm sure I can convince the locals to shower me in gemstones as their god reincarnated. And, I'm just as certain you'd give me an earful about it when you inevitably got yourself stuck out there as well- probably due to your _appalling_ piloting ability. And I'm sure you'd very nearly get the both of us sacrificed because of your silly morals."

The Doctor flicked his hand with a snap of her fingers, but the Master only laughed. The Doctor settled closer next to him. Her eyes fell half-closed as she listened to the Master's story.

"And then we'd bicker, like we always do. And you'd lecture me about- what's that old favorite of yours? Treating people with kindness and respect? And I'd tell you that if you would have let me have my fun we could have been gods and live a life of luxury until the stars realigned just right for us to escape their gravitational pull- or at LEAST not be _burnt alive_ due to a miscommunication- but no you just HAD to ruin it with your regard for life and being conscientious about anothers' beliefs."

He could feel the Doctor nod gently and glanced over to see a small smile on her lips.

"And then I'd probably threaten someone with bodily harm. And you'd find a clever way to break us out. And we would tease each other through the whole escape about whose tactics were actually ethical- even though we both know the answer is neither. There's no use in denying it."

The Doctor nodded slightly again. The Master could feel it in the way the pressure shifted against his arm.

"But of course we'd both make it out alright in the end. It would be as fun as it always is with you," the Master finished.

"And maybe, just maybe, we'd meet up for tea somewhere and laugh about it all."

The Doctor reached a hand for the Master's which was resting on his abdomen. She loosely locked their fingers together.

The Master didn't say much else for a while.

Whatever little he had done to help seemed to be enough and the Doctor quietly closed her eyes.

To him, she looked just the same as ever. Just the same as all the times they'd done this before.

Knowing the usual pattern, with any luck the Doctor would be back to her usual self in a day or so.

With his mission complete, the Master closed his eyes as well and waited patiently to hear the Doctor's voice once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was thinking about how when the Master reacts poorly to events he usually overreacts.  
> So I thought it would be- for lack of a better word- 'interesting' for the Doctor's reaction to have the opposite reaction: to shut down.  
> Which is supported by the canon to my knowledge, and how the Doctor will give their companions the cold shoulder in times of crisis, but I took this to a further extreme. I don't remember much from the 12th Doctor era tbh, I think I saw it through once when it came out but I haven't been able to rewatch it since. Point is- I think some of that canon sorts of supports this idea as well?  
> Idk. Listen. It's been rough lately.
> 
> Plz take this hurt comfort and I'll get back to the plot once I can actually get myself to write something descent lol  
> Goodnight everyone <3


	20. Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and the Master consider what the near future will hold. Also it's autumn, so they have a lil picnic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best work but I felt like updating and I can only edit the same thing so many times in a row lol  
> Also sorry this takes place at the beginning of autumn, I started this a couple weeks ago lol

"Look!" the Doctor pulled the Master along to the front doors of the Tardis.

The Doctor energetically swung the doors open to reveal... nothing.

Outside the Tardis was little more than a burst of cool air and the early evening sun. There was nothing particularly striking about the view to the Master.

"What?" the Master eventually asked, waiting expectantly for the answer that brought such a bright smile to the Doctor's face.

"Not me, look out _there_ ," the Doctor pointed off into the distance.

The Master looked outside once more.

They were still on the same hillside they were always on nowadays. There was a nice view of the city below to their right, more open hillside ahead, and a park somewhere off to the left that they avoided to prevent the possibility of run-ins with humans. There were several, towering trees nearby, still standing where they always were, and not another soul in sight.

"What am I supposed to be seeing?" the Master gestured.

The Doctor took his outstretched hand and stepped backwards out the Tardis doors.

"Look at the leaves! All the beautiful colors!"

She then crossed her wrists and caught the Master by his. The Master's hand locked onto the Doctor's forearms in response and the Doctor began to spin him about.

"It's beautiful out here! Things are changing! Not just the trees, but the world! Government turnover, word of various vaccines in the works- it's cause for celebration! Progress is happening out there! If anyone can get through all of this, it's humans! They'll find a solution even Gallifrey couldn't!"

The Doctor spun them around, their heels digging into the Earth like the point of a top, until the Master nearly lost his balance.

His grip broke away and he stumbled back, but the Doctor was never far behind.

"I wouldn't get your hopes up just yet," the Master warned as he regained his footing on the tall grass. "A few good trials doesn't mean everyone can go back to doing whatever they'd like. Even if vaccines and treatments are distributed- that doesn't mean this is over.

Might I remind you that even if a preventative solution is made available- you probably won't be able to get it. You'll still have to be vigilant."

The Doctor's face fell.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," the Master sighed, "that whatever these humans create may not work for us. That's why it's important that everyone else does their part, to protect people who are especially susceptible to it like you and I. And we both know not everyone is taking this as seriously as they should."

The Doctor nodded, slowly, and lowered herself to sit among the leaves. Her energetic grin faded a little.

The Master took a seat across from her and watched as the Doctor tugged grass from the Earth.

The Master didn't _want_ to ruin her good mood- this is the happiest he had seen the Doctor in weeks- but she had to know the truth. She had to acknowledge it, even if she didn't want to say it.

"I know... You're right," the Doctor eventually sighed.

She flopped onto her back and stared up at the beautiful evening glow. The bright yellow sunlight poured through the colorful leaves overhead and splashed ripples of light across the green grass. The dappled shadow through the trees poured over the Earth and the Doctor alike.

"I just can't wait for things to get moving again!" the Doctor smiled once more. "To know that my fam will be alright without me.

Treatments have improved and there's a refreshing hope in the air! I know the numbers..." the Doctor faulted for only a second, "...are still climbing in a lot of places- but maybe the end is finally in sight."

The Doctor quickly perked up again, "Maybe this is the change the world needs."

The Master had crueler things to say, but he restrained himself. He enjoyed playing devil's advocate- but it would get them nowhere to argue over something like this. The Doctor didn't need him to spell it out.

"Perhaps," the Master decided simply.

The Master wanted to tell the Doctor that she had her head in the clouds again. That things wouldn't be solved as easily as she made it sound.

People were still dying by the truck-fulls. This year would certainly go down in human history infamously. Even if there is a vaccine released in the next few months, that doesn't mean this disease will suddenly cease to exist.

The Master knew how these things worked. He knew there was more risk right now than ever right now- no matter how the future looked. There was no guarantee with these things. There was no guessing how the details would fall.

But the Master had learned better now than to say any of that. In the deepest depths of his blackened hearts, he understood now that the Doctor already knew everything he chose not to say.

She just didn't like to admit it.

With heavy hearts, the Master decided not to say it either. Instead, he decided to focus on the Doctor instead of all the unfortunate truths in his mind.

He smiled and watched the way the sunlight and shadows fought for dominance in the Doctor's eyes. The Doctor looked gorgeous, her face bathed in the golden glow and the shadows of leaves overhead dancing over her face.

"You and your foolish hope never do fade, do they?" the Master asked warmly and obviously rhetorically. He then added gently, "But you have to be realistic about this- it's not over."

The Doctor nodded and hesitated for just a moment.

"I know," she admitted, for once, "but I'll take whatever bit of hope I can get this year."

The Doctor smiled a little darker than the Master was used to. Like she knew exactly what he meant.

The Master sighed and rose to his feet once more. He brushed off his pants and paused for a moment to consider his response.

The Doctor must realize that there were more cases per day than ever before in some parts of this planet. She had to be aware that the disease had only been getting worse since day one and would continue as such. She must know to brace herself for how many, many more lives would be lost before this thing was over.

Maybe the Doctor's ridiculous notion of 'hope' had infected the Master during his time spent here- because he didn't say any of that either. He pushed all of that from his mind, and focused on what the Doctor had said earlier. All those things that had brought such a bright smile to her face.

He didn't feel it in his hearts the way the Doctor did, but he supposed this 'optimism' thing was better than wallowing in the agony of it all.

"Any spark of hope is a cause enough for celebration," he decided.

The Doctor's eyes immediately lit up once more as she leapt to her feet.

"We should have a picnic!" the Doctor exclaimed cheerfully.

The Master smiled softly.

"To progress," he smiled with a small nod.

"To hope," the Doctor beamed as brightly as ever.

The Master gestured gently to the Tardis door and the Doctor took it as a sign to lead the way.

They returned inside to pack up a picnic. The Master put together a few things- mainly a variety of left overs- in a cooler to eat. He added a few drinks, and plates, and packets of crisps, and plenty of napkins of course. Knowing the Doctor, they would need them.

The Doctor, meanwhile, picked out a couple large blankets as well as some large rocks which she assured the Master was necessary to pin the blanket down. In actuality, she was just excited by some cool rocks she'd found.

The Doctor also packed up a book she'd found about the best ways to survive various 'Worst-Case-Scenarios' for the Master. It was both practical and entertaining, in the Master's twisted sort of way. The Doctor knew he had a tendency of getting bored easily, so she thoughtfully tossed it in the pile as well.

They soon regrouped outside and set everything up just in time to watch the bright evening sun set in the distance.

The Doctor certainly used most of the napkins mopping up the juice box she'd somehow spilled on herself. And the Master certainly appreciated the book he'd brought to occupy his mind when something as slow as the sun setting lacked the proper amount of stimulation to keep him satisfied.

The Doctor had been right- the Master observed as the Doctor's mind raced through a million theories and ideas while the sky turned a million different colors before her eyes. Things were changing, however slowly, and he- too- was optimistic that they were for the better.

The golden hour sun shone through colorful red and orange and yellow autumn leaves to reach the grass while the sky turned into a shimmering rainbow of color as the nearest star worked its way across the planet. The Master had all that to see, as well as the curious book of hypotheticals and gore in his hand, and still- the Master caught himself watching the Doctor instead.

He did his best to take in every second, so that, when this _did_ end, he might still retain the impression of this moment.

The Doctor looked so cheerful despite these long months and the beautiful view of the sky only contributed to her smile. She layed on the hillside with one ankle tossed on her other knee and both her hands up behind her head.

The Master eventually moved away from the picnic as day turned into a much deeper night. He approached the Doctor's side and layed down in the grass next to her. He tucked one of the spare blankets under his head to prop himself up more comfortably and returned to his book.

The Master was getting to a particularly interesting section about how to survive a multi-story drop when the Doctor suddenly turned to him.

"Thank you," she smiled.

The Master turned from the pages in his hands to her. She looked... as wonderful as ever, beneath the duo of the setting sun and rising moon.

The Master fixed his glasses to glance her over, and then returned his attention to open pages.

"Stop that," he demanded without any malice in his words, "I don't want you going soft on me. The more comfortable you get, the more insufferable you'll be."

"You could have been mean about the humans dying," the Doctor observed, unbothered by the Master's reply, "but you _chose_ to be kind."

This time the Master glared at her.

"No. I didn't. Don't you start with that again."

The Doctor chuckled and returned her eyes to the sky.

"Alright. Poor choice of words. But you know what I mean."

The Master attempted to return his attention solely to his book. He was failing miserably. He wanted to read about the way a human's back would snap in half if they were to land incorrectly- but he couldn't when the Doctor was right there with that lighthearted playfulness in her voice.

"You're easier to tolerate when you're not moping about. It's as simple as that," the Master assured her, attempting to put the subject to bed.

The Doctor chuckled and scooted herself slightly closer to his side.

"Look at me," the Doctor requested.

The Master rolled his eyes and closed his book, one finger marking the page he was on. He set it to his chest and then turned to meet the Doctor.

She was close enough now that the Master could feel her breath on his face. He could still smell the apple juice she'd spilled on herself. It made him smile.

He reached his neck slightly to press his forehead to hers.

The world around them had changed a million times over, but this feeling never did. It was the same way you can still feel the excitement in the air you had once felt at a book fair as a child when the crisp autumn air hit just right. Themselves, the planet, the stars above, it had all changed- but not this feeling. They didn't need words as they exchanged emotions like waves of bright paints clashing into each other. They flowed and twisted and danced into each other, like the day fell to night, like each season fell seamlessly and yet abruptly into the next. They became something new together, rose up to clash perfectly into each other, and always made their way back to themselves.

"It'll be alright in the end," the Doctor promised the Master- instead of the other way around.

The Master only chuckled.

"Don't you get it by now?" he smiled softly, "I don't care. This planet can burn for all I care. Say the word, and I'll make it happen. However..."

The Master paused for a moment, looking for just the right words,

"If it matters to you... Then it matters to me."

The Doctor laughed in a way that betrayed tears.

"Really?"

The Master grinned.

"Yes, really. You wasted all that time trying to get me to see Earth's beauty- but you should know that's never why I stayed."

The Doctor pressed ever so slightly closer.

"That's it?"

"That's it," the Master promised. "Choose me first, before anything else, and I'll give you anything you want."

The Doctor chuckled.

"You're so dramatic. I already told you I love you."

The Master nearly choked on his own emotions swelling up.

"Yes, you did. It's still a little difficult to believe sometimes."

The Doctor rested the crook of her nose to his.

"I do. I always have."

A tear slid down the side of the Master's face and splashed harmlessly to the grass.

"I... love you too, Doctor. And you're right. Everything will work itself out in time. We just have to keep on with that pesky 'hope' you're always going on about."

The Doctor brought a hand to the Master's face and soothed her thumb over his cheek.

"Thank you. For staying," the Doctor said.

"Think nothing of it," the Master smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> I felt like updating again. It's not much, but it's honest work lol
> 
> Where I live has another stay at home order lol (Which basically means ur not supposed to go anywhere except for work/groceries/emergencies through the next couple weeks bc there’s so many cases). And the numbers are the highest they've ever been in cases per day where I am as well.  
> All the while, the news keeps talking about vaccines in the works. In America at least- I haven’t personally heard anything about other countries, but that might just be biased media- even as America just passed 250,000 (quarter of a million) covid related deaths.  
> I think that speaks for itself.
> 
> I'm glad there are vaccines in the works, but I wouldn’t describe myself as an optimist. America still doesn't have enough supplies for hospitals or enough testing in some areas, so I don’t expect anything to change for a while yet. I’m realistic enough to know the problem isn’t going to be magically solved once this vaccine comes out either.
> 
> But even with that said, you've gotta keep some kind of hope in the future. What would humanity be if we didn’t?  
> So celebrate the little victories! Ease the pain as much as you can. Tell people you care about that you're happy they exist and… I don't know… have a picnic on your kitchen floor lol  
> You might be surprised by the difference the little things can make.
> 
> Keep the hope alive and take care of yourself!  
> Goodnight <3


	21. The Day the Stars Align

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a special anniversary for the Doctor, but what's a birthday without someone to share it with?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little special to commemorate 57 years of Doctor Who + The Spyvember prompt- Day 23: Birthday

The Doctor wondered in the kitchen just like she'd done many, many times before. However, today, the Master was stirring the batter to something delicious.

"What are you making?" the Doctor asked as she pulled a mostly empty bag of pretzels down from the fridge to find only salt remaining.

"Cake," the Master replied flatly as he worked, his mind clearly preoccupied with the task at hand.

"What's the occasion?" the Doctor half joked as she momentarily gave up on finding a snack. She crossed the kitchen to lean on the counter across from the Master.

He didn't look up at her, but a knowing smile tugged at his lips.

"Today marks the day of your creation," he said simply. "Your birthday-adjacent, if you will."

The Doctor stopped cold in her tracks. Her blood felt like ice before her hearts kickstarted themselves twice as fast as before.

"What?"

The Master breathed a small chuckle.

"Perhaps not your actual birthday, but if my calculations are correct, then it's the day you were released into the real world."

"How would you know that?" the Doctor asked curiously.

The Master paused to put the batter into cupcake holders.

"You told me once- or more accurately, dozens of times- back when we were young.

The stars always align a certain way on that day, so you never forgot. And you- with your young racing mind- always gave me an earful about how 'wonderful' it was to 'be alive on such an incredible night'."

The Doctor nodded, "That does sound like me."

She then paused to consider this.

"And you calculated that to match Earth's days? So the stars look like that again tonight?"

The Master nodded, "They won't look that way from Earth, mind you, but yes. They'll look the same from Gallifrey as always."

The Doctor took a seat on one of the nearby stools in disbelief.

"Wow," she finally breathed.

The Master put the tray in the oven and then set his mitts aside. He folded his arms and rested them on the countertop opposite to where the Doctor was sitting.

"What is it?" he asked.

The Doctor's saddened eyes turned him.

"I don't know when _your_ birthday is!"

The Master chuckled softly.

"That's alright. I don't think mine was quite so eventful anyways," he promised her.

The Master then stood up once more and cleaned away some of the ingredients.

The Doctor shook her head adamantly.

"It's just as important!" she assured him, "I'm sure we can calculate it!"

"No, really, Doctor," the Master abruptly put an end to whatever rush of ideas was undoubtedly brimming behind the Doctor's brilliant eyes.

Usually he refrained from quelling such a burst of inspiration, but he truly didn't see any reason to celebrate his own creation. No one had ever bothered to celebrate it before and it was just another day he was used to spending alone. He had no interest in changing that now.

"It's not something worth celebrating anyways. At least pick something more interesting if you must," the Master reasoned as he thoughtfully set a timer.

The Doctor paused with a hand to her lips, deep in thought. After a moment, she seemed to reach the perfect conclusion.

"I've got it! How about the day we met!"

The Master paused briefly.

"The day we met? Even I don't quite remember-"

"I do!" the Doctor beamed.

The Master lost his breath for a moment.

"You do?" he finally found the words to ask.

The Doctor grinned.

"Of course I do! You were one of the first kids in class and you acted so calm and collected- but I was sure you were just as nervous as everyone else. And at lunch, I could see the way you calculated who to sit with and how to act, as if you were playing a game against everyone else and confident you would win. You did it so... perfectly- too perfectly- and I immediately knew you were too smart to be hanging around those stuck-up kids."

"And you got me in trouble on our very first day," the Master recalled with a nostalgic smile.

The Doctor beamed, "But wasn't sneaking around and cutting class far more fun than anything those stuffy teachers had to say?"

The Master already knew the Doctor was thinking the same thing, but he admitted it aloud anyways, "Of course it was."

"Then I propose a new holiday!" the Doctor beamed, "To all the nights we cut class to watch the stars align."

The Master smirked, "So it's still on your birthday?"

The Doctor shrugged, "You already made the cupcakes."

The Master glanced at the timer before letting his eyes flicker back to the Doctor's elated grin.

"Touche. Alright, I'm in," he shrugged.

The Doctor beamed away and picked up one of the two tubs of frosting on the counter, as if it was a glass.

"To both of us!" the Doctor grinned.

The Master suppressed a laugh as he picked up the other and mirrored the Doctor. They tapped the small containers together in a toast.

The Master let a small chuckle slip past his defences. The Doctor was ridiculous, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Yes. To us," he agreed wholeheartedly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End Note: I don't know if there's anything about the Doctor having a 'birth'day in canon, so please don't be upset if this is completely inaccurate.  
> This is based off my own hcs about how Time Lords don't celebrate birthdays because they're loomed so it’s not important to their society. They still know how old they are, but a year isn't really anything to them so they don't bother.  
> However, I think it would be cool if the Doctor figures out that every 15 years or so the stars and nearby planets line up a certain way on the same 'day' as when she was created (to her knowledge and all that) so she drags a young Master out to a quiet hillside to take in the beautiful night together.  
> And also they just happened to meet for the first time on her 'birthday', bc I thought it would make sense for ages to line up with schooling. But idk what the canon says I just made all this up so enjoy lol <3


	22. Snow Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master and the Doctor wake up to the first heavy snowfall of the season. They're both excited to enjoy it for very different reasons, but they always have the most fun whenever they're together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeez it's been a hot minute now hasn't it??  
> So sorry. I got super busy with school and finals and whatever that whole things was supposed to be lol.  
> Anyways. Here's a chapter I've been meaning to post for the last 2 weeks lol.

"The snow is crazy out there-"

"SNOW?!" the Doctor nearly shouted in excitement.

"Yes," the Master confirmed with a nod. "First snow of the season, has been all morning. I'm on my way out to dig a path down the hillside so I can soak in the wonderful misery of others. Care to join me?"

"Yes!" the Doctor agreed eagerly.

She quickly raced off and returned with her usual coat.

"Come on then!" she cheered.

The Master sighed.

"First of all: I want you to know that I'm saying this to prevent having to listen to you whine for the next week- and _not_ because I care about your well being."

The Doctor gave a nod and beamed brightly- clearly assuming the exact opposite of the disclaimer the Master had just given.

The Master rolled his eyes and did his best to ignore her wide smile.

"You need to get some proper clothes," he said flatly. "I know how you are. I'm sure you'll leap in the snow the first chance you get, and your trousers don't even reach your socks. You'll freeze in minutes."

The Doctor looked down at herself.

"I suppose you're right," she observed, her grin never leaving her lips.

She raced off for the wardrobe and the Master found himself with no other choice but to follow with a reluctant yet fond smile.

"We'll make tea when we get back," he considered aloud as he trailed after her.

The Doctor quickly found some thermals that looked like pjs to wear under her favorite outfit while the Master picked out a thicker winter coat for himself. His other jacket was more for style than warmth, and he needed one that would keep himself warm against the elements.

They both retrieved some hats, gloves, and scarves before heading out into the snow. The Master grabbed a couple shovels as well from the garage as they headed up to the front doors.

Outside, the air was cold enough to numb their cheeks and fingers, but there was no doubt the snow which accompanied it was a gorgeous sight. Nearly every inch of the landscape was shimmering in a shimmering white as large flakes continued to fall from the sky.

The Master immediately went to work clearing a path to the side of the hill and shoveled up the excess into a large pile at the end of it.

The Doctor tossed herself directly into the snow the first chance she got, as predicted, and made snow angels. She happily rolled down the hillside as the Master went to work building up the pile.

"What are you making?" the Doctor asked as she eventually climbed up out of the snow, completely covered from head to toe.

The Master spared her a wide smile as he smoothed out the sides of the small tower. He then patted the middle together, and sat himself onto it. The snow molded around him with a small crunch and the Master hummed contently as his work perfectly accommodated his body.

"A throne," he replied with a prideful humor in his voice, "And with the perfect vantage point for today's entertainment, no less."

He was all teeth and eyes which crinkled up cheerfully as he relaxed into his sturdy, makeshift chair. He extends his hands out in front of him, taking in the view with his thumbs and pointer fingers outstretched like an overzealous photographer.

The Doctor stomped over, pressing deep steps into the high snow, to look over the city below.

"Entertainment?" the Doctor asked.

The Master grinned a wide and playful grin. He leaned closer in his seat, his elbows at his knees, and then raised up a hand to point out a particular sight.

"Yes, see? Right down there? That gentleman plowed his drive only to have his car get stuck on the _unplowed_ street. It's going to take _ages_ to dig that out."

The Doctor took a knee in the snow next to him to see. She scrunched up her cold nose and brows to pick out the sight off in the distance.

"Oh, so he has," she observed.

The Master's eyes flickered over the Doctor wordlessly for a moment. Then, to the Doctor's surprise, he stood up again and wordlessly began to shovel even more snow next to his own seat. The Doctor watched, intrigued, as the Master flattened down the nearest armrest of his 'throne' to join the piles together.

He then returned to his own seat and returned his focus to the city below. He grinned once again as he observed something amusing in the distance.

"You'll like this one. Look at that little dog trying to hop through the snow."

The Master leaned his head in his hand, his elbow resting on the armrest he still had, and pointed off into the distance with his other hand.

Curious, the Doctor took the seat next to him and let the snow sink down around her until she was at the same level as the Master. She tilted her head and followed his line of sight with intrigue.

There was, indeed, a small dog hopping through the snow as tall as it was. It had to leap its own height and width just to clear a few inches of snow- only to find itself reburied in the snow with every hop. The Doctor chuckled at the sight.

"Alright, that _is_ a good one," she agreed.

They sat far above, looking down at the world, so high up that the people below looked like insects. Vehicles unfortunate enough to be parked on the street were snowed into place, and countless people were trying to shovel their own cars out from their garages.

"Look! We've got a brave one!" the Master cheered as he abruptly lifted his head. He was clearly deeply amused by the sight his eyes had picked out from the crowd. He pointed it out, to the left of the town, for the Doctor to observe alongside him.

"Brushing off the windshield, drive unshoveled, the road barely plowed and clearly an ice mess- "the Master narrated, "-I say he'll gun it and get stuck before he gets halfway up the street."

The Master pressed his gloved fingers to his lips for a moment in thought as the stranger below slid a large chunk of snow off the roof of their car.

"I want to say he'll make it, but look at the angle of the snow," the Doctor observed. "It's drifted over because of the wind; the left side of the snow is clearly much deeper than the right. That little car doesn't have a chance."

The Master turned to her and he allowed his dark eyes to flicker warmly over her face. The small smirk on his lips gave away that he was _almost_ impressed. He then tossed one of his boots over his other knee and leaned comfortably back in his seat.

"I suppose we'll see," the Master agreed, a smile still teasing at his lips.

The car was brought to life and shot off down the drive. Momentum alone allowed the car down through the deep snow piled up on the drive and then-

"Ooo!" the Master and the Doctor observed in unison.

It was close, but the car got stuck just before it hit the street, in the space just before the road but just past the sidewalk. It appeared that the snow shoved to either side of the road by the plows was too dense for the car to break through. The car immediately stopped and no amount of wheel spins was going to free it.

The Master began to laugh warmly, despite how cold and sadistic his motives.

The Doctor couldn't help but snort at the awkward angle that poor human's car was stuck at. The wheels spun for a few seconds more- but to absolutely no avail.

"We shouldn't laugh," the Doctor reminded both herself and the Master. "That man might have somewhere important to be."

The Master waved a hand dismissively.

"He can call a cab if it's that important. Personally, I've been hoping for a live one all morning."

The Doctor rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop herself as a smile clung to her cold lips. It really _was_ an objectively funny sight.

They watched several more misfortunates together. A particularly beautiful race car got stuck in one drive, many people were out shoveling the others, kids were happily playing in their yards, and music drifted about from somewhere distant.

It was nice actually, just sitting there and being part of it. The Doctor had been separated from the world for so long that it felt good to take a minute and _feel_ it all still happening again.

Suddenly, the Doctor heard a new noise.

She quickly rose up and leapt away through the tall layers of snow. On the other side of the hill, she found that people were sledding. Kids with their plastic disks were racing each other down the natural slide with freezing hands and wild laughter.

The Doctor took a seat with a loud _crunch_ as she watched.

Soon, she heard the Master's steps approach. With a sharp breath, the Master settled himself down in the snow next to her.

"The toughest bit is the climb back to the top," the Master chuckled.

The laughter of the families below filled the air as children with boundless energy slid down the steep incline and then raced each other to the top all over again.

"The mountains back home used to always look like this," the Doctor breathed wistfully.

The Master looked away and tried not to think about what they probably looked like now. He forced himself to focus on something else- anything else- instead.

He pulled his fingers to his lips for a moment before he spoke, animated as always.

"Do you remember that year you made that... What did you call it? Snowship?"

The Doctor considered this for a moment. Once it clicked, her eyes immediately lit up.

"You remember that?! I thought you would've forgotten!"

"Why? Because of the concussion it gave me?" the Master chuckled.

The Doctor laughed and tossed herself backwards into the snow with a small _oof_.

Gallifrey didn't have engines because they had natural machines: Tardises. There was never a need for vehicles the way Earth did- but that hadn't stopped the Doctor from putting together the equivalent of a snowmobile.

It had taken a week of stealing supplies and dragging it to the hillside for the Doctor to assemble the feat with only some sheets of Gallifrey's closest plastic-equivalent, some cheap piping to build a makeshift chassis, and a compact plasma engine. A breaking mechanism had been an oversight and suffice it to say, they were both thrown from the amature craft multiple times each before the Doctor got it under control.

It was an amazing amount of fun, racing together over the terrain, with the cold wind whipping past faster than ever before, making them feel _alive_ -

Until the Academy had ruined their fun, of course.

The Academy _always_ ruined their fun, but their antics were always worth the trouble it inevitably got them into.

The Doctor grinned and sat up again, her clothes completely layered in the still-falling snow.

"I have a snowmobile," the Doctor said abruptly and without context.

"What?" the Master asked. But the Doctor was already on her feet and sprinting for the Tardis. She leapt through the snow and hurried into her Tardis without another word.

The Master barely had time to climb to his feet before he heard a roar from inside the Tardis. Not a minute later, the Tardis doors swung open and the Doctor burst out on a vehicle that _barely_ fit through the front doors.

The Doctor slid open the tinted vizor on the helmet she had found and the Master could see she was grinning from only the sight of her bright eyes.

"Heads up," she warned before tossing the Master a nearly identical helmet settled on her lap.

The Master caught it with wide eyes.

"Concussion prevention," the Doctor promised pridefully.

"You're kidding," he breathed.

"Don't like my driving?" the Doctor teased.

The Master grinned.

"As a matter of fact, I don't. I doubt there's a vehicle in existance you _can_ pilot."

The Doctor huffed as his jab, but didn't bother attempting to counter it. He was probably correct after all.

The Master pulled on the red-stripes-on-black helmet to match the Doctor's blue-stripes-on-black one. The Doctor pulled up next to him. The vehicle in question had the same streaks on either side as the Doctor's helmet.

"I assume this helmet is from a matching snowmobile, is it not?" the Master smirked as he looked up at her.

"Why do you ask? Would you rather you had your own?"

The Doctor returned in a witty fashion as she offered him a hand, her voice muffled slightly by her helmet.

The Master breathed a smirk as he climbed onto the seat behind her. He settled himself in place and then slowly settled his arms around her middle.

"Is this... uhm...."

"Whatever's comfortable, just hold on!" the Doctor announced.

As the Doctor revved the engine, the Master's arms tightened around her and he pressed himself to the Doctor's back.

She took off suddenly and laughed ecstatically as they raced over the snow. She turned from side to side, getting a judge on how it handles, and then took a sharp turn steeper up the hill.

The Master ducked down as the vehicle kicked the top layer of snow into the air. His arms tightened around the Doctor as he laughed, although his voice was immediately hidden by the roar of the engine.

The Doctor did a few laps about the hill. She took them flying over rifts of snow and through the nearby park that had been buried in white. Only the top halves of the swingset and climbing structures protruded through the high wall of snow.

The Doctor then took them closer to the town than they'd ever bothered to visit in the last few months. She sped down the hillside and threw snow in their wake as they approached the quieter town streets of snow and slush.

It felt good to feel a part of it again, if even for a fleeting moment. To see the people up close, not as dots in the distance but as people with their own lives and hopes and plans.

The Doctor did a slower lap around the edges to take in the sights. The Master spared it a once over, but he didn't find it nearly as captivating.

The Master rested his head to the Doctor's shoulder blades as they took a leisurely drive about the town. After a brief few minutes, the Doctor eventually pried herself away and headed back to her Tardis.

They both laughed as the Doctor took another adrenaline-inducing lap before slowing down for the Tardis's front doors. The Master was still thanking the universe that snowmobiles weren't much of a rollover risk as the Doctor loudly drove it to the enormous Tardis garage.

She shut off the loud engine and the Master reluctantly peeled himself from the Doctor and stepped down from the vehicle.

"Cold enough?!" the Doctor nearly shouted, all too used to the engine noise and still muffled by her own helmet.

The Master pulled off his helmet and set it around the handle of the vehicle.

"Yes, certainly. I'll make us some drinks to warm up," he offered in a more reasonable tone of voice.

The Doctor laughed as she pulled off her own helmet and set it on the other side of the handlebars.

The Master offered her a hand down.

The Doctor didn't notice the gesture as she leapt from the small step on the side of the vehicle. With her feet already on the ground, she finally took notice and cheerfully took his gloved hand in hers.

That wasn't what the Master had meant, but he certainly wasn't about to protest. The Doctor beamed away happily as they walked hand in hand to the nearest kitchen.

"Notice how you survived," the Doctor teased.

The Master grinned.

"Yes, I did. Noticeably head-trauma free," he agreed. "But if that had been an SUV? We'd be dead for certain."

The Doctor only laughed warmly at that.

"I wouldn't let that happen," she assured him.

The Master was happy for the cold still stinging his cheeks, or else the Doctor's slip of good will may have given him reason to blush. All messy helmet hair and playful smiles? He would have been a goner for sure.

When he didn't respond right away, the Doctor continued, her voice a little quieter.

"Was it as fun as when we were kids?" she asked him.

The Master smiled softly.

"I don't think I could compare the two, but I always have fun when you're involved," he replied wholeheartedly.

Now it was the Doctor's turn to swallow back a blush.

The Master soon changed the subject so she wouldn't have to respond to that.

"Would you like tea or hot chocolate?"

"I forgot _all about_ hot chocolate!" the Doctor said with a wide smile.

The Master gave a nod.

"Then hot chocolate it is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this is all fluff. It's good for the SOUL, okay?  
> I think this fic puts me at 300k+ words on this account!! And I know that doesn't really mean anything, but that's a big accomplishment for me and I'm very proud of it! *celebratory noises* *confetti popper noises*
> 
> As a little teaser, I'm trying to work on something for the holiday season (for this au obviously lol). It'll be a bit longer, more plot driven, and will involve the fam finally coming to visit! I'm really excited to share it and I just hope it turns out okay lol
> 
> Anyways, sorry for the wait! I hope you're doing okay, all things considered!  
> I just saw that Youtube just put up some old movies (with ads, but still for free!) so I might go watch a few. Maybe I can finally see some old James Bond films lol
> 
> Good morning, good evening, and goodnight everyone ^-^ <3


	23. The Friend of My Best Enemy is… My Friend?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master accidentally intercepts a video call from one of the Doctor's human friends and ends up having an interesting chat with Yaz about family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this title is a cheesy reference to the saying: 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'. Or contrastly: 'the friend of my enemy is no friend of mine.'  
> Listen, I'm a writer. I'm not meant to title things lol
> 
> (Mild Warning for: heavy topics, such as mentions of war and losing family, and grief.  
> It's no worse than the canon, but I always try to add a heads up in case)

Something was beeping an ear-piercing, downright awful noise. It was meant to be a cheerful chirping sound- but Master didn't find it pleasant in the least. He traced the sound up the hall and through the doorway of the Doctor's room. His eyes immediately landed on its source: her laptop. It was settled on her desk, looping the same repetitive pattern of noise with no end in sight.

The Master pushed open the sticker-covered lid and tapped the spacebar until the screen lit up.

Normally the Master had no interest in bothering with the Doctor's things, but the sound was getting obnoxious and the Doctor was too busy working on the Tardis's inner core to address it. Her work was far too fragile to pester her over something as trivial as a simple alert, so the Master elected to handle it himself.

The Master grimaced as the screen finally brightened to life and he searched for the volume button. He was surprised to find a face staring at him from the other end.

"Hi, Doctor! I was almost worried you'd forgotten! I-"

Yaz and the Master both went silent as they found each other face to face through the screen.

The Master took a sharp step back and paused for a moment. He sank back into the mannerisms he was accustomed to using when he addressed anyone who _wasn't_ the Doctor. He then situated himself into the Doctor's chair and spun it around to properly face Yaz's mirror image.

He wasn't quite certain how to address this situation, but it wasn't like he had anything else to rush off to at the moment.

The Master purposefully glanced about the Doctor's room instead of looking at Yaz until he could think of something to say.

"Can I... take a message? That's what people ask, yes? Do they still ask that?" the Master suggested as he attempted to remember his manners.

He finally turned to face the screen as he spoke. He found Yaz settled in what was presumably her own room across from the webcam of her own computer. It was clearly propped up on something, judging by the angle, and allowed the Master to see her as if they were sitting across from each other at a table.

The Master grabbed a nearby box and set the computer on top of it so Yaz could see him in the same manner.

The Master then turned his body away once more. He spun the chair back and forth to occupy himself, with one ankle tossed over his knee. He was too busy trying to think up what to say to bother focusing his attention on Yaz.

"What have you done with the Doctor?!" Yaz asked quite sharply.

The Master stopped his shifting and turned directly to the computer's webcam. He scanned Yaz over and concluded as much as he could about her.

Yaz was well dressed for someone who was keeping their contact with the world minimal. Her hair was neatly tied back and her mascara was perfect. Dressed to impress the Doctor, now doubt.

The Master tilted his head slightly.

"That's a bold accusation. Whatever would _you_ do about it?" he scowled coldly.

"How about I come over there and show you," Yaz narrowed her eyes. Her shoulders tensed and her hands clamped tightly down on the arms of her chair.

Her weak threat lightened the Master's spirits slightly. He elected to simply lean back in his chair and propped his dress shoes up on the Doctor's desk.

"As amusing as that would be," the Master said with a small shrug, "the Doctor is simply wrapped up in maintenance. It's very difficult, very fragile work- not that you humans would understand."

The Master allowed himself a small, prideful smile.

Yaz might be the Doctor's friend, but she was also a threat to the Master's relationship with the Doctor. Compare the Master to true evil, and he was good. Compare him to a shiny, perfectly accurate moral compass like Yaz... and he might as well be the devil.

It helped to remind himself that he and the Doctor were on a playing field far above the human world. They understood the universe and time, and love and loss- more than any of these pests could fathom. The Doctor was _his_ equal, and the Master would never let that go- especially not to the likes of some simple human.

"I understand plenty," Yaz retorted. "And I've heard all about your _arrangement_ from Ryan. You might have everyone else fooled: but I'm not convinced. You always have your own agenda and I won't let you hurt the Doctor again," Yaz promised with a fierce determination.

The Master's eyes grew cold and his voice sharp and defensive at Yaz's assumption.

"Hurt her? I don't _hurt_ her. I spend my time arranging our favorite games of good and evil on her favorite planet. I keep our minds sharp against the agonizing boredom of this universe.

As far as _hurting her_ goes," the Master's jaw clamped down more with each word, his expression shifting from cold to furious at his usual breakneck speed, "you humans hurt her far more than I ever have! I won't allow you to insult me over things you _clearly_ don't understand."

Yaz leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

"And what's _that_ supposed to mean?!" Yaz questioned, clearly unhappy with the Master's response.

The Master shifted forwards in his seat, one arm on the armrest and his open palm at the other.

"It _means_ that you humans cause the Doctor plenty of pain all on your own! Don't you _dare_ blame me! I have been nothing but loyal.

 _You're_ the ones dragging your own society down to armageddon. You fight amongst yourselves, destroy your own planet, hurt each other in grand scales over the _smallest_ of differences- it breaks _her hearts_ to see you like this!" the Master admitted all to earnestly.

Truth was, this was all pent up somewhere deep inside him, day after day, and it felt good to finally have a human to turn the mirror on.

He continued, barely below shouting,

"The Doctor's here, worried _sick_ about your fragile little lives- and instead of improving your world: every day you cause some _new disaster_ she's powerless to fix!"

The Master fought to compose himself but that was no longer possible as his voice grew stronger with each passing word.

"There's a disease out there, floating about, that can kill her in a day- and instead of leaving, _as she should_ , she's _here_ taking... _video calls_ -" the Master threw his hands through the air sharply, "-from the likes of you! Hoping she doesn't wake up one day to hear of your _deaths_."

The Master gestured out vaguely to the hall in a sharp motion.

"She's racing about, doing maintenance and working on this _ridiculous project_ just to allow you three humans to visit!"

The Master forced himself still for a second or two to collect himself.

"Before you assume I want the worst for her, maybe you humans should look at yourselves for once and realize that you're _far_ more of a risk to her than I've _ever_ been."

The Master sharply shook his head and forced himself to quiet down before he grew too loud.

"So help me if you die..." he threatened grimly, "because it would break the Doctor's hearts.

But so help me if this disease _kills her_ because you have _no idea_ what I'll do to this planet without her..."

He then quickly added, "...here t-to protect it, that is."

He closed his eyes for a brief moment. He'd had that built up inside of him for longer than he'd thought.

Once the Master had thoroughly regretted his honestly disguised as an honest threat, he turned back to Yaz.

She was still watching him, looking mildly surprised.

"You do care..." Yaz observed quietly.

The Master rolled his eyes.

"I don't even know why I'm still talking to you. Just for the novelty I suppose," he grumbled, mostly to himself.

"I guess you're right then, I don't understand," Yaz replied pensively, her brows pressed together in deep thought, "if you know the Doctor cares about Earth so much- then why do you keep trying to destroy it?"

The Master tossed his head back and swayed the chair back and forth with his feet still on the table.

He was coming down now, from his riled up state. He felt a little better to have gotten to say his piece. It took the edge off, however slightly.

"I don't know," the Master sighed with sarcastic thoughtfulness,

"Let's say your best friend is obsessed with an ant farm. No matter what you do, no matter what else happens, she only cares about her pet insects."

He addressed the air as he waved his hands about to illustrate the images in his mind,

"Now let's say you want her attention. What option do you have other than to steal it and perhaps _squish_ a few ants along the way?

Earth is the ant farm," the Master concluded his explanation succinctly.

Yaz smirked.

"So all your grand plans- They're just to steal your crush's favorite toy to get her attention?" Yaz teased.

The Master replied, unbothered. He rested his head against the top of the chair and leaned back as he fiddled with whatever random object he had picked up off the Doctor's desk.

"Crush is such a rudimentary term, but for the sake of your simple human mind: yes. That's a very simplified analogy."

Yaz snickered. The tension in the air quickly began to dissipate.

"What then? You see yourself and the Doctor as some cosmic gods playing chess?"

The Master rocked about and allowed his eyes to wonder about the Doctor's room once more. He didn't usually spend time in it, but it was quite nice; if messy was what you considered comfy that is.

"It's more jesters in a battle of wits, but I suppose so," the Master smiled a little.

Yaz actually _chuckled_ at that.

"So much for your playground," Yaz added.

The Master grinned. Yes, it really was a shame about Earth. But give it a few more years and one way or another, it'll be it's old self again. And by old self, he obviously meant even more of a mess than ever. Still, the change was something to look forward too.

"Now you're speaking my language," the Master playfully agreed.

Yaz laughed.

"So... humans are just tools to you? Just pieces for your games?" Yaz inquired.

The Master shrugged.

"It's more complicated than that, but for the most part: yes. They're... means to an end."

Yaz paused.

"But all that time on Earth,"

The Master looked up to Yaz at her question.

"-you must have liked the company of a human or two at some point, yes? Haven't you ever seen a human as _more_ than an ant?"

The Master paused and was silent for a few long seconds.

Then he smiled softly.

"There was one... One of the Doctor's many pets. Even he didn't like her at first, but she was a quick learner. Certainly ahead of her time."

"You liked one of the Doctor's friends?" Yaz smiled.

"I grew to _respect_ one of the Doctor's friends," the Master corrected gently.

"Jo Grant."

He then paused. It was a name he hasn't said in quite a while.

He quickly cleared his throat and fiddled with the weird coin he'd picked up off the Doctor's desk.

"I'm sure she's still out there somewhere. Fighting the good fight... or whatever it is people say. She was off visiting the Amazon last I heard. She lives life to its fullest, stands up for what she believes in, has a husband. Children. Grandchildren."

The Master took a deep breath.

"It's been a long time for me, maybe... give or take a thousand years," the Master mused, a bit lost in thought, "those were certainly the days."

There was a brief silence as the Master picked up a metal pen from the Doctor's table and fidgeted elegantly with it instead. He alternated between twirling it about in his fingers and wobbling it back and forth.

"You must miss her," Yaz said.

The Master stared off in the distance, with his feet still up on the table, and lightly swayed his chair as he leaned back against it.

He was suddenly feeling his age again. He hadn't thought about any of that in... a long time.

He shook his head.

"I don't get attached like that anymore. It's too... difficult. With time travel, everyone is always alive somewhere, but they're also dead everywhere else. There's... no goodbye, no permanent goodbye. Instead you have to choose when it will hurt all parties involved the least and... then you have to live with that choice."

"Now you sound like the Doctor," Yaz chuckled.

She was leaning on her hands when the Master turned to her once more. She was listening to his story intently.

The Master smiled a little, sadly, at the patience with which Yaz listened. He hadn't spoken to a human like this in a long time. Usually he was all flair and schemes and a bit of hypnotism.

The Master was being a hypocrite as he spoke, and he knew it.

The Master shook his head to clear the idea away.

"Normally, I would take offence at being compared to the Doctor. However, I'm going to pretend that was a compliment," he told her.

Yaz smiled.

The Master turned away again, never looking at her for too long. He was only talking to her because he liked an audience, and his audience just happened to be her. This wasn't personal. He couldn't let it be.

"It's not easy for us," the Master found himself admitting.

He couldn't look at her as he spoke. There were too many old images welling up to his eyes.

"Where we come from, Time Lords died maybe once every ten millennia. Here, you humans drop like flies. Which is why I can not _fathom_ why the Doctor bothers with you three," the Master admitted.

"You'll be gone in what? 60 years if you're lucky? Or maybe 6 years. Maybe 6 months. With the Doctor around, you'll certainly leave even sooner.

I'd bet on another year or two of adventures at most. Then you leave, and the Doctor will mourn, and at some point; she'll have to drag herself back together and start all over.

It's just like her... to get _sentimental_."

Yaz grew quiet at that.

The Master's eyes looked up to the screen once more as he realized she hadn't spoken even after a minute or so.

"I- Sorry, my dear," the Master found himself saying.

He returned his feet to the floor and turned to her directly for the first time that evening.

"I didn't mean to upset you-"

"It's alright," Yaz chuckled. Her voice was shaky, indicating that she was in more than the Master had meant to inflict.

And then she said something the Master hadn't expected.

"You're right."

The Master grew quiet.

Yaz wiped away a tear and then chuckled.

"But if now doesn't matter, then nothing matters."

The Master leaned closer.

"What do you mean?"

Yaz smiled.

"Just something I've learned from my, albeit limited time on Earth," Yaz smiled,

"If right now doesn't matter, then at what point in time will? You can't pick and choose, you still have to live every second of your own life. So even if I know I'll miss the people I love later on, right now: they're here. The little things matter because, if they don't, then neither does anything else."

The Master chuckled a little at that. Then spoke weakly, pained from experience,

"It'll hurt. When they're gone. It'll hurt less if you keep your distance," the Master told her.

Yaz smiled.

"And when everyone is gone, will easing your pain be worth missing out on all the good memories you _could_ have had? Isn't it the good memories that make the pain you feel when someone's gone worth it? Aren't you better off to have known your friend and lose her than to have never known her at all?"

The Master felt tears in his eyes but he didn't let them fall. He didn't let his emotions betray him for a single second. This... wasn't about him.

This was about the Doctor and the fact that her life was a testament to that very question.

The Master eventually replied flatly and factually.

"I couldn't say. Like I said, I don't get attached. The Doctor would be... better equipped to answer that question."

Yaz didn't appear completely convinced.

"Sounds lonely," Yaz said softly.

The Master didn't give an answer. He simply took a deep breath and stared off at the wall.

Thankfully, Yaz soon changed the topic.

"Do you think the Doctor will be back soon?"

The Master quickly took the exit.

"No idea. You know her- once she gets working on something, she'll either do it all day or forget about it instantly."

Yaz laughed.

The Master didn't quite mind the sound nor her company.

"Tell me about it," Yaz grinned. "If I had a nickel for every time she showed up late because she was too busy working on a project..."

The Master chuckled and looked to Yaz again.

"If it's any consolation, it's not personal. I don't think she's ever been on time to anything in all her lives."

Yaz laughed even more warmly at that, and the Master allowed himself a small chuckle.

This... was surprisingly nice. He really wasn't one to chitchat with humans, but he had never really minded Yaz.

She was bold and determined and not one to shy away from danger. It certainly reminded the Master of a handful of other humans he'd known from time to time.

"Do you want to see what I made the Doctor for Christmas?" Yaz suddenly asked excitedly.

The Master's expression softened.

"Yes, alright. I _am_ curious what you got for a woman who has all of time and space at her fingertips," the Master admitted.

"Okay! Hold on right there!" Yaz beamed.

She then hurried off to a side of her room the Master didn't have a good view of. Yaz soon returned with a very small box.

"I've been working on making some crafts. It's not much, but I made these for her. Can you see?"

The Master leaned his head on his hands as he moved closer to the screen.

Yaz held up a small, shining metal item.

It was an earpiece- similar to the one the Doctor often wore. The bottom had a small stud with a tiny planet Earth dangling down from it. From it was a firm piece with a small chain that connected the stud to a cuff that went on the upper part of the ear. Along it, was littered in shining stones that looked like a small constellation.

"I made a couple others too, but I'm most proud of this one!" Yaz exclaimed cheerfully.

The Master smiled softly.

"I got the little charm and the small bit of chain and this piece here-" she explained, pointing to the stars, "and then I connected them up in these tiny loops- you have to get these fancy pliers to bend them around- and then ta-da!"

The Master chuckled.

"Those weren't in style when I was a woman, so I'm not much of a judge; but if you made them, then I'm certain the Doctor will love them. She's like that," the Master promised.

"You were a woman?" Yaz asked excitedly.

She then quickly added with restrained curiosity, "Can I ask that? Or is it like... a personal thing?"

The Master gave a deeply genuine laugh.

"No, not at all. I don't mind. It was recently actually, in my previous life."

The Master spun from his chair and stood up in a single, swift movement.

"I'm sure the Doctor has a picture somewhere among all this junk," the Master chuckled. "As I said, she's the sentimental one."

The Master searched around for a moment, wondering where the Doctor would hide something like that. There was no doubt she had at least one.

He looked through her books to find an ancient-looking photo album. He opened it to the latest pages first and quickly found a photo.

He grinned at the sight.

Luckily for the Doctor, her previous body had grown her hair out by the time the picture was taken. The white curls always had suited that version of him once he had learned how to maintain them.

The Master was pleased to see that his own past self looked quite good in the photo as well.

The Master, or Missy at the time, had taken the photo as a joke one evening. They were sitting in a cafe and Missy was playfully smiling while the Doctor looked as annoyed as ever. Still, there was a hint of a smile on the Doctor's lips.

The Master tossed the heavy album on the desk and slid the photo from its spot. He held it up to the lense for Yaz to see.

"This gorgeous lady here is me, and this grumpy magician-looking fellow is the Doctor," he explained lightheartedly.

"You weren't kidding! That's really you?!" Yaz leaned closer and grinned.

The Master laughed lightly.

"Absolutely. I was a wild one and the Doctor was the bore," the Master teased fondly, "even more so than usual."

"I went by Missy back in those days, and I killed a _lot_ of sexists. The Doctor became a school professor for a while and quite honestly: the tenure gave him a big head about morality- not that he would _never_ admit to it.

At one point, he tried to lock me up so I would go cold turkey from killing. And then _he_ got us killed by an army of cybermen. It's a long story," the Master waved it away dismissively. "Personally, I think he was having a midlife crisis."

Yaz chuckled brightly.

"Did you like being a woman?" she asked.

Strangely enough, the Master had never been asked that before.

He returned the photo to its place in the album.

"I suppose I did, yes," he nodded simply. "It was a lot of fun. I went all out with the attire and the make up and the nail polish. It's about the same as being a man really, it's just slightly different.

By the time I regenerated, I hadn't been a woman in ages, and Earth has far more stereotypes of femininity- so I wanted to try as many 'womanly' things as I could."

He airquoted ‘womanly’.

"And you and the Doctor can just... change everything?"

Yaz pressed curiously.

"We have to when our last body dies so it can become someone new and our consciousness can survive," the Master explained simply.

"Doesn't the Doctor tell you anything?"

There was a brief pause.

"You said Time Lords don't die often, they just regenerate, so what happened to the Doctor's family?" Yaz asked.

The Master froze.

"If I tell you... promise you won't ask again," the Master said flatly. "Normally it's not my place to say, but... I know how the Doctor is. I'm sure she would tell you if she was able."

"...Okay," Yaz agreed.

The Master took a breath and flipped through the album to one of the first pages.

"Gallifrey is... vast and complicated. The way the Doctor and I came into this world... suffice it to say, we were made for a purpose. We were created for certain families. We were literally made by stringing together dna and proteins, weaving them together, until they made a Time Lord- that's simply how things worked in those days.

We were very different people back then," he explained. "It took us a long time to learn the things we know now. It's, honestly embarrassing the people we used to be," he chuckled, "so we don't like to bring it up."

He then pulled out a photo and looked at it for a long minute.

"But like everyone, we initially had a family of other people in our house. I never had much of a connection with my family... we never saw things the same way, but the Doctor never minded their own family all that much- at least, not in the beginning. It was the rules and regulations the Doctor disliked, rather than the people. They even took one person with them when they ran from home."

The Master held up the photo.

"She called herself Susan when her and the Doctor first arrived on Earth. She was the youngest member of the Doctor's family house, loomed two generations after the Doctor- so by Earth standards that made her... something like the Doctor's granddaughter, and the analogy stuck.

The Doctor lost everyone else they knew in the Great Time War: Gallifreyans and Daleks and a few other higher species- all locked in a nearly endless bloodbath, the casualties more than anyone could count.

And then, of course, I destroyed those who remained. Everyone else is dead; except Susan, who's presumably still out there somewhere. She's a Time Lord after all, so I wouldn't doubt she's still alive.”

The Master held up the photo.

"Sometimes I think all you humans are a placeholder until she comes back."

Yaz looked at the photo. It was ancient, but at the same time it was a photograph- so it couldn't be anymore than 200 Earth years old.

The woman in it looked young, pale, with short dark hair and a bright smile on her face.

The Master quickly removed it again and returned it to its place.

"The Doctor always blames herself, no matter what happens. Blames herself for the war, for not being able to find her only remaining family, for what happened to me, and for everything that happens on Earth."

"Why are you telling me this?" Yaz eventually asked.

The Master closed the album and put it back. He then returned to his seat and faced her.

"Because that's what you're for. The Doctor is many things, but what she _tries_ to be- more than anything else- is a force for good. She needs people to help her let go of the past, and keep her head out of the future. She needs to see you humans again because... because of that thing you said. About making enough good memories to outweigh the pain that always inevitably follows."

Yaz smiled softly.

"I think I understand," she said.

The Master simply nodded. 

"Thanks," Yaz eventually said.

"You're sworn to secrecy," the Master countered sharply.

Yaz only chuckled.

"Do you have any family?" Yaz asked. " _Real_ family? Who you care about and who cares about you?"

The Master paused for a long minute.

"I have a daughter," the Master eventually decided flatly.

Yaz could tell by his tone that the word 'have' should have been 'had', if only he had the heart to admit it.

He continued, slowly and carefully. He spoke like his voice could break something terribly fragile if he allowed the wrong word to slip.

"I... What's the word you would use? _Adopted_ her with a friend. That's... how things were done back home," he explained with a soft nod, attempting to maintain the illusion that the topic wasn't nearly as heavily as it was.

"And it's why, when the Doctor ran from the war... I stayed to fight.

For a while.

Until I couldn't anymore."

He gave a weak chuckle.

"The Doctor's constantly trying to replace their family while I haven't had one since. Fancy that."

A long silence fell.

"My great uncle died recently," Yaz said suddenly.

The Master picked his head up from his hand to look at her.

"My... condolences," he remembered to say. He'd recently learned that asking 'How?' and hoping for a story of a brutal accident was insensitive.

"It was just time," Yaz said.

Then she paused and took a deep breath.

"Actually, it was a good few months ago now, and it was due to cancer, it was really sudden actually, but I haven't talked about it. I didn't know him well but... it's really strained my family. And now, given everything happening in the world, I'm really worried about them.

Some of my family... they're not in too good a' shape. Even my nan, who's really important to me."

She paused for a second to compose herself before continuing,

"It makes me wonder, you know, how long it will be until they go too. And what that will do to my parents."

The Master's eyes widened.

"I...."

But he couldn't think of anything useful to say.

"I wouldn't have said what I'd said if I'd known-"

The Master attempted to excuse politely.

Thankfully, Yaz understood.

"It's alright," she said with a surprising warmth. "It felt good to say. Especially because I'm not going to tell the Doctor. She'll only worry."

The Master's eyes widened even more at that.

"I think, if you were still O, we would have been friends," Yaz admitted.

The Master convinced himself to take that as a compliment.

"And I think, perhaps, you're one of the smarter members of your species," the Master attempted to return the sense of friendliness.

Yaz immediately lightened up.

"To making happy memories," Yaz smiled.

"What is this? A toast?" the Master chuckled, "I don't have a drink."

"Neither do I."

They shared a laugh.

"Regardless, to good memories," Yaz beamed warmly.

"And to those we lost," the Master hummed.

There was a pleasant lull, and the Master took a last glance at the photo album on the shelf.

He then turned back to Yaz.

"So how's your job?"

Yaz grinned. "You know about my job?"

"Yes. The Doctor talks about you far more often than I'd like," he joked dryly. "You completed your training or something? Got promoted? Do you get a gun?" the Master asked curiously.

Yaz stifled a laugh. "No! Of course I don't get a gun! Actually, I'm thinking of shifting to the first responder's track, so I can _really_ help people."

She then waved her hands with a smile, clearly about to start over on a much longer story.

The Master leaned in closer to listen to her impending story.

"Okay- Let me back up. So what happened is-...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Useless Commentary:  
> I'm probably overexplaining, but I like to talk about my work lol  
> First and foremost, this chapter sort of begins to set the stage for the fam's visit which will be the next chapter if everything goes as planned.  
> So this chapter helps to 1) reconnect Yaz and the Master, 2) clear up their views of each other because they never talk one on one in the canon after spyfall p1 so things are very strained between them up to this point, and 3) to establish which version of the canon is true for the timeline of this fic.  
> Something I love about the Doctor Who 'canon' is that it's basically nonexistent. Every viewer or reader can interpret the characters and their lives however they want and I think that's really amazing! But that also means that whenever I do a fic, I have to set some parameters for what's true and what isn't.  
> So obviously I built off things that DO exist in the canon: the Doctor's granddaughter, looms, the Master having a daughter, the Time War, ect ect ect  
> But I've strung it together in to ONE storyline. And I know it might not line up with the timeline other people have in mind but please remember: this is just a fanwork! Mostly just... please don't get upset with me for taking a few artistic liberties lol
> 
> HOPEFULLY the next chapter (or perhaps chapters) will be up by Christmas. If not, it will be by New Years at the very latest lol  
> It's not anything amazing, but it helps me to keep busy and writing this au has really helped me through this year tbh
> 
> Uhhhhhhh so yeah. Please kudos, comment, and subscribe? whatever it is if you liked this lol. I've been on ao3 for like 6 years and I still don't really know how to use it lol.  
> And remember to bookmark if you want to be notified when I update bc I can't seem to stick to a regular update schedule lol  
> Goodnight <3


	24. Holidays with Family (1 of 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fam stop over to visit for the holidays! (Holidays- being that most of them don't celebrate Christmas, but they're all happy to be together again anyway lol.)  
> The Doctor is elated to see them again, the Master is unsure how to interact with them, and it wouldn't be a holiday with the Doctor without something going wrong!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel I should apologize upfront because I didn't edit this NEARLY as much as I should have.  
> Still, I try not to take this series too serie-ously. Get it? Sorry, dumb joke lol. Case in point.
> 
> Note: This section of the fic does draw from elements mentioned in previous chapters so if you happen to be reading this out of order or something, you might want to read the other chapters. But do what you want lol  
> I hope you enjoy!

Today was the day that the Doctor's friends would be visiting.

The Master knew it from the second he woke up.

The Doctor had been counting down the days for weeks now, spending every minute decorating, building unique gifts for each of her friends, and checking the safety equipment that would scan them for any signs of contamination.

Her friends had even agreed not to leave their homes for several weeks in preparation and luckily managed not to lose their jobs.

Everything was set in motion. Any minute now, Yaz, Ryan, and Graham would show up and the Master would have to own up to the things he had done to them and the Doctor.

Normally, he wouldn't care about a couple more pets running about- but for some reason this felt different.

This meant a lot to the Doctor, he knew. Her energetic brilliance had already returned at full force at the mere mention of her 'fam'. Her enthusiastic knowhow was practically burning her up as she raced about like she was saving the world all over again.

The moment the Master left his room that morning, the Doctor began to explain every detail of her friends' lives at a million miles an hour in preparation until the Master wasn't sure if she was trying to memorize it for herself or prepare him.

She told the Master all about Yaz and each member of her family, her job, her hobbies- and then did it all over again for Ryan and Graham. The Doctor was so thrilled to share every detail of their lives with him, even more so than usual, and the Master wasn't quite sure what to say.

The Doctor had never bothered to invite him in like this before. Even after thousands of years, this was uncharted territory.

All the Master knew was that if the Doctor's friends had any brains at all, then they wouldn't want anything to do with him.

They were warming up to him, yes, but it was only thanks to the Doctor. She was the medium through which all words were exchanged. Graham had recommended the Master books thanks to her, Ryan had met the Master's creation, Oh, because of her, and the Master had only spoken with Yaz due to the Doctor's absence. Even then, even when talking one on one with Yaz, most of the conversation had still revolved around the Doctor.

At the end of the day, humans didn't easily forgive and forget. It was in their nature and the Master couldn't say he blamed them. The Master had betrayed and threatened both them, their loved ones, and all of humankind. He knew well that he was only tolerated because of his close association with the Doctor.

The Master certainly didn't care about the opinions of three simple humans. Unfortunately, he did care about the Doctor.

He genuinely wanted this evening to go well. It would be the first time the Doctor had seen her friends in a while and once this was over, she would have to be seperated for a while more. He wanted this to go well and hoped that the humans' grievances- or more specifically, the Master's mere presence- wouldn't ruin the evening.

The Master pushed away his newfound nervousness at the whole ordeal and forced his thudding hearts back down his throat.

"Yes, of course they'll love _you_ ," the Master grumbled to Oh as he finished arranging the food for the evening.

It was Christmas after all, so he- and the Tardis and Oh- had cooked more than enough food for the five of seven life forms who _were_ capable of eating.

"You're a cute little robot. I purposefully made you pleasant and helpful. The humans will take to you without a doubt," the Master explained.

He sighed a little and paused from the plate of rolls he'd stacked into a tower. They were fresh from the oven, warm and ready to be shared. The Doctor's- or, he supposed _their collective_ \- company would be over any moment now.

The Master had spent many evenings with MI6 co-workers, so he understood the just of 21st century conversation. When he knew the type of character he was playing, he could manipulate his company just right until they took a shine to him. It was easy when he played it like a game to win.

Given the Master's numerous years of experience dealing with humans, it would be easy to assume he would know a thing or two about social customs. However his social skills left a lot to be desired. There was something about people that he had never _quite_ gotten the hang of.

He had never had much trouble surviving social events- but only when he kept his guard up and his disguise flawless. 'O' hadn't been a nickname given to him out of affection. It was a name given to him by humans _just barely_ smart enough to know that there was something fundamentally _wrong_ about the recluse 'horizon watcher' O. As if they could detect the 'uncanny valley' effect in the Master's false personality rather than his looks.

The Master knew the jokes humans made about him for being so closed off, for not understanding their pop-culture references, for not caring much for the sports game that was on or who was having relations with whom.

He was good at acting human for short amounts of time when he was focused on getting what he wanted. However at honest-to-goodness social visits like this he felt... useless.

The Master shook his head. This wasn't about him. There would be no manipulation and no murder tonight. He was a Master of disguise after all. He simply had to read the room and act the part and hope that the humans wouldn't see past the surface.

Oh chirped to get the Master's attention when he fell silent.

The Master shook his head and gave a small, but forced laugh. He spun about and fell into the rhythmic movements of one of his usual performances.

"It's alright, Oh. The humans won't be happy to see me if they know what's good for them- but that doesn't matter. I've told you before my dear, your job is to look out for the Doctor. You do your job and I'll do mine."

Oh bobbed himself in his own little way of saying 'yes'.

The Master smiled at that.

"Good. Now let's go help the Doctor prepare."

Oh leapt down from the counter and scurried ahead as the Master picked up a tray of food.

The Doctor already had a large table set up in the main console room when he arrived. It was huge and rectangular and far more than big enough to comfortably seat 5 people.

The Doctor immediately took the top roll from the tray in the Master's hands and ate it in little more than a bite.

"These are so good! The fam is going to love this!" she beamed.

The Master smiled to himself as he placed the dish on the table to join the many others, all filled with various foods. The Doctor cheerfully leapt up to her Tardis controls.

"Any minute now! It's been so long!" the Doctor grinned as she raced about, "Should we give them a proper tour of the Tardis when they get here? I know they've seen most of it, but we could always give them a walkthrough! Should we all go somewhere together after we eat? I know of one planet whose rain has a much higher freezing point than Earth so it's warm when it snows! Or there's this one-"

"Doctor," the Master gently interrupted.

"Yes?"

"Should I go?" he asked coldly. He clasped his hands behind his back and stood with a false air of confidence.

The Doctor quickly spun around to face him. Her face immediately scrunched together in confusion and disapproval.

"What? No!"

The Doctor raced down from the center of the room to stand before him.

"Absolutely not! It's a holiday to spend time with family and friends! You're more than welcome!" she promised happily.

"Doctor..." the Master sighed. He let his hands fall to his sides as he confessed with brutal honesty, "I'd rather not intrude on your dynamic. Your humans won't want me here anyways. It's better if I stay out of the way."

The Doctor paused, baffled, and then shook her head with a wide smile.

"That's ridiculous! Of course they will! They'll see that you're not here to hurt anyone and they'll warm up to you in no time!" the Doctor promised.

The Master didn't have time to get another word in as the Tardis chimed.

The Doctor quickly spun around to face the direction of the noise. She raced over to her Tardis console and focused in on the screens.

The Master gave a small sigh. Speaking of social skills- at least the Doctor's presence meant the bar was low. He wished knowing that simple fact did anything to ease the strain in his chest.

"Ah! They're here!" the Doctor exclaimed enthusiastically.

She energetically punched in the requirements for a scan and a thin beam of blue light scanned over the three humans outside the Tardis doors.

At first the three humans- the eldest by the Master's estimates- looked down at himself in confusion, but quickly realized the light posed no harm.

The results came through just fine, but the Doctor scanned them over a few more times just to be sure. All scan results agreed that they were all completely safe.

The Doctor extended a hand to the Master. It took him a moment to process her invitation before he set his hand on top of hers. He could feel his own fear echo back to him in the Doctor's excitement, the equal and yet opposite reaction.

The Doctor, ever the weaker telepath, simply took the Master's hand between her own.

"It'll be alright," she promised.

The Master nodded and, once the Doctor's grip loosened, pulled his hand away to cram into his side pocket.

He shouldn't care, and he shouldn't be so worried, but he'd... never _celebrated_ this holiday with other people before. Not like this.

The simple truth was that after all his years of disguises- after all the hats he'd worn- he no longer knew which one was his own.

He _didn't know how to do this_ of all things.

He couldn't show his hand, but he couldn't let it show that he was hiding it either. He had to _not_ be himself- and not act like anyone else either. He needed to not show off, nor let his anger get to him. He couldn't be too loud, nor too quiet. He didn't even have a mission to focus himself on.

The Master did his best not to think about any of that. If he got too worked up, he would have an even higher chance of slipping up.

"Of course. Alright," he echoed. He shook his head sharply to force it clear and discretely shook away the tension from his hands.

The Doctor grinned widely and sprinted for the doors.

She pulled them open without even stopping.

"My fam!" the Doctor exclaimed as she nearly crashed into the wall of humans.

"Doc- oof!" the Master heard Yaz say before losing her breath as the Doctor hugged her tight. The Doctor lifted Yaz's slightly shorter figure a few inches off the ground.

"I've missed you all so much!" the Doctor welcomed them.

"Aren't you worried about-" Ryan began.

"I scanned you! You're all safe! So it's hugs for everyone!" The Doctor explained.

"So that's what that light was," Graham nodded.

The Doctor finally set Yaz back down and nearly toppled over Ryan next. However, Ryan was far more prepared for such an attack and picked the Doctor up instead. The Doctor laughed cheerfully.

"Hey!" the Doctor beamed as her feet were lifted off the ground, "I used to be as tall as you, you know!"

"It's good to see you too, Doctor," Ryan replied with a laugh.

"You're next Graham!" the Doctor announced as Ryan returned her feet to the ground.

"Bring it in, Doc!" Graham laughed with open arms.

The Doctor hugged him and her inhuman strength allowed her to lift him an inch or two off the ground as well, causing Graham to chuckle himself.

After a few seconds, she returned him to Earth's surface and spun around to point to the inside of her Tardis.

She called inside to introduce the Master and Oh- who had quickly climbed up onto the Master's shoulder at the sight of new company.

"You all remember the Master, and this little fellow is Oh!"

The Doctor led everyone into her warm ship from the cold outside air.

"It smells great in here!" Graham exclaimed as he pulled off his coat and set it on a nearby chair.

Ryan and Yaz followed in a similar suit as they pulled off their various hats, gloves, scarves, and coats and set them all at the edge of the table.

The Master stood back a comfortable distance from the opposite side of the table with Oh as their guests entered. He was well dressed and well groomed as always. He looked over them with his chin high and his hands locked tightly behind his back in a professional-looking manner.

"Yes. Hello, humans," he said with a nod.

He looked to the Doctor and immediately realized that might not have been the best way to greet them.

"I mean- Hello, the Doctor's _friends_ ," he did his best to give them a friendly wave.

His wave and fake smile must have reminded them just a little too much of the time he'd sealed them all in a crashing plane because their smiles visibly fell and they immediately retreated inwards. Their excitement was quickly replaced with something unsettled- just as the Master feared it would at the sight of him.

The Master quickly dropped his hand and kept his distance rather than stepping up to greet them.

After an uncomfortable moment of hesitation, Graham crossed the room to the Master.

"I don't mean to be impolite! Just a bit surprised is all!" Graham grinned, clearly willing to let the past be the past. He held out a friendly hand.

"Good to see you again!" he smiled.

The Master paused and looked down at his hand. He'd done this a million times back when he was pretending to be a human, and yet it never seemed to get easier.

The Master took his hand and shook it politely, but something inside him wasn't quite happy with the sensation.

"You needn't lie to me," the Master found himself saying without thinking. His expression was cold, and his discomfort manifested as a sprinkling of anger.

It was bad enough he was exchanging trival pleasantries, the least the man could do was not lie directly to his face.

Graham faltered and sharply pulled away from the Master's crushing grip.

The Master let the man's hand drop and quickly hid his own hands behind his back once more. He hadn't even realized he'd been crushing Graham's hand too hard until the human had recoiled from it. The Master must be more out of practice than he'd thought- but he quickly dismissed any possibility of blame. In the Master's mind, Graham should know from his knowledge of the Doctor that Time Lords are naturally stronger- and therefore should have known the risk he was taking trying to shake the Master's tense hand.

Oh immediately recognized Ryan and scurried from the Master's shoulder to greet him. The young man's eyes quickly lit up at the sight of the little robot and Oh's screen displayed cheerful eyes in return.

Ryan chuckled and picked Oh up.

"Hello to you too!" Ryan grinned, "Yeah, I bet you recognize me! Didn't your parents ever teach you it's rude to break into someone's home!"

"I apologized for that!" the Doctor interjected.

Ryan rubbed his knuckles playfully on Oh's little head,

"Luck for you, the Doctor's done far more breaking and entering- so we're used to it by now!"

"Broke my front chair, you did!" Graham confirmed with a laugh as he turned away from the Master and rejoined the others.

"That was _one time_ ," the Doctor defended lightheartedly.

To everyone's relief, this quickly lightened the mood.

"It's alright, Doc," Graham grinned, "you can make up for it with all this food! It looks delicious!"

"Yes, absolutely!" Yaz agreed.

Everyone pulled out a chair from the table.

The Doctor cheerfully waved the Master over to sit next to her while the three humans situated themselves on the opposite side. The Doctor was in the middle, so she could talk to all the humans with ease, while the Master was settled in the seat next to her. He sat a little farther away from the group than everyone else did.

Oh sat himself on the table on the other side of the Doctor which balanced things out, trio to trio.

The Doctor piled a huge mound of food into her plate, but barely noticed it at first. She was far too excited to talk to her human friends face to face for the first time in months.

The Master simply ate quietly and followed the conversation as best he could. He already had a sense for the dynamic, but he didn't want to slip up on something easily avoidable, so he remained quiet.

The Doctor energetically recounted some long ago story of a Christmas past that captivated her companions.

Meanwhile, the Master worked on piecing everything together.

The Master didn't truly understand most human holidays. They seemed to change more and more each passing year. The Master couldn't even say which events were religious traditions and which were simply greeting card holidays anymore. He didn't quite care to find out either.

He had never needed them before, and he didn't need them now.

In short, he didn't _do_ holidays.

From the sound of it, Yaz didn't even celebrate Christmas, but she was still more than happy to spend time with her friends and the Doctor on the Tardis. As far as Ryan and Graham went, the Master had no evidence one way or the other. Humans were strange indeed.

The conversation dissolved into each person sharing their favorite anecdotes from their own Christmases pasts.

Ryan talked about baking with his mother, Graham talked about a toy drive- whatever that was- that he used to help Grace with at the hospital she worked at, Yaz talked about the stories her grandmother _always_ told her when she came to visit on the holidays her family _did_ celebrate, and the Doctor- in true Doctor fashion- talked about stopping scavenger creatures from other planets who enjoyed hiding in plain sight using Christmas displays and Christmas-themes weaponry and disguises.

The Master was finally pulled into the conversation when he was the only one left.

The humans attempted to include the Master as Yaz offered,

"What do you usually do for Christmas?"

The Master rolled his shoulders nervously and sat up a little straighter than before.

"You... want to know how I celebrate your modern holidays?" the Master asked at the realization that the others actually expected an answer.

The Master set down his silverware and took a long sip from his glass.

"I suppose..." he quickly realized he probably shouldn't bring up all the evenings he had spent alone on such a special evening in a tiny flat he could barely afford while stranded on Earth.

All their stories were so... cheerful. They all had warmhearted tales of events they annually shared with those they cared about and who cared about them. The Master couldn't think of a story that compared.

He tried to think farther back. When he had worked at MI6, there was always an office party that he was... never invited to.

Nevermind that.

There was always... The last time he was a woman; he and the Doctor had spent a good many holidays curled up watching some stupid movie. Still, that didn't make much of a story. Things had been tense and too painful to make a good story from. Recounting those days would be akin to picking up a box wrapped in thorns- doable, but deeply unpleasant.

His memories drifted back to Gallifrey's celebrations-

He forced his mind to stop there.

"I don't really _have_ any traditions," the Master said with a simple shake of his head.

The Doctor had daring adventures she'd gone on without him, Yaz had her own holidays with her huge extended family, Ryan and Graham had their own personal traditions passed down from loved ones past, and the Master had....

Usually the Master loved having all eyes on him, anticipation clinging to his every word. But for once, he couldn't think of anything good to say. He was always stranded or the run or scheming- but always alone.

The Master took a deep breath and brushed his napkin over his lips. He then stood up and rested his hands on the table for a brief second.

"Do excuse me," he pardoned himself.

The Master walked from the table to the nearest hall at a carefully controlled pace, even despite the way his body was begging for him to run.

He continued to put plenty of distance between himself and the main room. He already knew exactly what would happen if he had stayed. It was the same thing that had happened every time someone made a genuine attempt to get to know him.

He always said the wrong thing.

It was easier to leave and prevent the error before he could make it.

He either told the wrong blood-filled story that left a bad taste in everyone's mouth or weaved together some made up tale purposely designed to earn trust.

He didn't want to lie to them, but he didn't want to make the same old mistake he had learned from the hard way. Especially not to the Doctor's friends. Problem was: he had no alternative.

The Master knew it was best to take himself out of the equation before everyone grew wise enough to reject him. At least this way, he could leave of his own accord and the evening could continue the way it ought to.

The Master didn't know what the Doctor saw in them anyways.

He left the Doctor to enjoy herself and tucked himself away in a corner of the Tardis where he would be left alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll probably give my commentary at the end bc if not I always get overzealous and give spoilers lol
> 
> This is 1/3, I'll try to get the entire thing posted by the end of Christmas day but I'm a little unsure with the ending so I'll probably end up editing it to death until the last minute lol
> 
> I know I've probably said it a million times, but don't by shy to comment! I seriously love getting comments you have no idea the boost it gives me. It makes my WEEK every time I get one lol  
> Anyways I'll stop rambling sorry goodnight :D


	25. Holidays with Family (2 of 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of previous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *insert link meme here* It's my emotional support fic and I get to choose what's canon lol

The Doctor had recounted her story of saving Earth from a space titanic from crashing into it one Christmas Eve. It was always a hit at parties- when she omitted a few facts, that is; and then Yaz, Ryan, and Graham then shared a few stories of their own.

The Master had been quiet- probably too quiet- but the Doctor hadn't realized anything was wrong until he left the room abruptly.

"What's up with him?" Yaz asked once the Master was undoubtedly out of earshot. "I was only trying to include him," she explained.

"It's quite alright, Yaz," the Doctor promised. "The Master... has been on his own for a long time. He needs time to adjust."

There was a moment of quiet as everyone dove into their own thoughts.

The Master was changing. It was easy to see if you knew where to look- and the Doctor of all people knew it.

The Master had already laid down his weapons and now, slowly and steadily, he was peeling off his armor. He was dropping the act, letting go of his resentments, and allowing his deepest depths to see the light of day.

He was trying, properly trying- not to just be 'good' but to simply be _better_.

And it was working. More than ever before. More than with Missy.

The Doctor looked at her food.

Food which the Master had made without a single complaint. Without the Doctor asking him to do so.

He wanted the Doctor to have a good evening with her friends. He didn't even know _why_ they were so important to her. He only knew that these particular humans were important and that was enough for him to go out of his way for the Doctor.

The Master was dramatic and controlling and hot-headed at times, but he purposefully hadn't been any of those things today. And for a Master of disguise, he hadn't pretended to be anyone else either.

He was trying to be himself, and it was difficult to say who that was anymore.

It reminded the Doctor of the first time she had invited the Master to dinner at her family's home in their youth.

The Doctor's family didn't see things the same way later in life, when the Doctor began to reject tradition, but at first: they had been wonderfully supportive of her.

The Master had been too young to know any of the tricks he knew now back on the evening that flooded the Doctor's mind. The Master had just been a young boy, sat at a table that was too tall for his small body, observing and using that information to run sineros on what to do and how to act- as if the wrong action or word at the wrong time was punishable by death. He politely ate his food and factually answered the questions put to him as best he could. He never faltered in his answers, he ate the perfectly sized portions he took clean from his plate, and didn't speak unless an authority figure put a question to him.

It had gone on like this for some time, like a quizshow, like the Master had to sit up perfectly straight and give the answers he knew adults liked and do his absolute best not to mess up in the slightest.

Up until the Doctor's mother finally said, quite gently: "You don't have to act like that, dear. We have Theta after all, we know what kids your age are like."

The Master hadn't known what to do with that information until Theta- one of the Doctor's childhood names- had picked a slab of meat directly off the plate at the center of the table and set it directly into the Master's hands, effectively proving that bypassing every arbitrary social protocol was perfectly safe.

The Doctor's family then asked what kind of things the Master actually enjoyed, that wasn't studying. It took a bit of time, but the Master slowly warmed up to them once he realized he wasn't going to be scrutinized. He talked all about the old books he had found buried in the library: wonderful made-up stories of heroes and villains locked in inordinate battles of wits. Time Lords traditionally looked down on such tales- but not the Doctor, not her family.

Later that evening, the Doctor's father had handed the Master a book that was well above his reading level. It was full of fictional stories about rogue scientists and pirates and all sorts of things that weren't 'practical' enough for the Master to have heard anything about otherwise.

The Doctor had been certain the Master was trying not to cry as she walked him back to his own home that evening- to a home that the Master had never invited her to spend the evening at in return. It took the Doctor a long time to understand why. And more importantly, to understand that not inviting her was a mercy rather than an insult.

For one reason or another, the Doctor was suddenly reminded of that familiar wooden table and the cold evening breeze brushing through the red grass. She could almost swear she could see her old home for a brief second and the warm air that smelled so wonderfully of her family's cooking.

Perhaps she was reminded of that moment in their shared past because that had been the last time she's seen the Master this nervous.

The Doctor looked off to the hallway he had exited through.

"You can go after him. We'll still be here when you get back," Graham promised in that warm, parental way Graham promised everything.

The Doctor smiled.

"It'll just take a moment. Stay put, you lot."

The Doctor left her seat at their series of agreements and went after the Master.

If the Doctor had a nickel for every time she caught the Master hiding in plain sight with a book, she could afford the updates her Tardis desperately needed.

The Master hadn't gone far either. He simply stood around a nearby corner, reading a book he'd read countless times before. The Doctor nearly passed him by until her eye caught a movement from the shadows.

He wasn't wearing his glasses- the Doctor could easily see- and the way he had to squint to make out the characters on the page was only adding to his frustration.

"Why did you leave?" the Doctor asked.

The Master shut his book sharply and returned it to his inside pocket.

"What are you doing here? You've been waiting to see your friends for ages!" the Master snapped. There was something defensive in his low voice.

"Go back and have a good evening. I'll see you when it's done," he insisted; both polite, aggressive, and passive all at once. He acted not unlike a wounded animal, feeling cornered and simply wished to be left alone so he didn't have to risk further injury by fighting his way out.

The Doctor paused and stepped back to give him space.

"You're family too!" the Doctor reassured him. "You're more than welcome-"

The Master snapped his head around.

"I know, alright?! I get it. But _you_ don't get it. I'm not like you," he admitted in a hiss.

He began to pace about, as he often did when agitated. Every inch of him raced about in an animated way as his built up stress supplied his every movement. After all these months of peace, he was suddenly once again like the broken shell the Doctor had known on Gallifrey with ashes littered in his hair.

"You have your stories of adventure and _friendship_ and saving the Earth. Mine are about robberies and murders and betrayals. Things no one wants to hear about. I have spent a lot of time on Earth, Doctor. I know how these things turn out when I'm involved."

The Master spun around to finally look the Doctor in the eye.

"I either act a role I know will fit and make it through with only a few minor errors or..."

His eyes fell.

"Or I _try_ to actually be honest, and say something _real_ , and it makes them sick."

The Master turned away and shook his head harshly.

"Your humans are smart enough to see past me, especially because they know _who_ I am, but they're too weak to be able to stomach _what I actually am_."

The Master was getting riled up again. It was easy to see from the way his teeth pressed together to his hands becoming progressively shakier as they gestured about wildly.

He was frustrated and being beaten by something so simple made him so furious at himself-

The Doctor caught his hands as they waved sharply about and the Master lifted his head to meet her eyes once more. Her touch immediately drained the tension building in his shoulders.

"You should have your time with your friends. I'll... stay out of the way so I don't ruin it," he promised, more distressed than perturbed this time.

His eyes fell away from her and his hands tore from her grasp. The Doctor's brows furrowed in worry as she immediately countered him.

"Whoah, hold on. Just talk to me. What's wrong."

The Master stumbled over his words. His hands were shaking. The Doctor tried once again to keep them still. The Master's grip tightened in response as he struggled to find the right words.

"You can't ask me to care about these people like they're family, Doctor. I've had a family and I failed them.

You can't just _make another_. And especially not out of _humans_. They look like us, but they die _so much faster_."

The Master hesitated.

"I- I'm not as _strong_ as you, Doctor. I can't do that. I can't spend my days trying to replace them, constantly _running_ from what I've done."

He paused and shook his head sharply.

"You... You have your family, and when you need me again, I'll be there," the Master promised softly.

"But that kind of game... It simply isn't one I can play with you."

The Doctor gave a deep nod.

There were a hundred things she wanted to say, but something stopped her. Perhaps it was the way the Master's eyes reminded her of his previous regeneration. One who had genuinely done her best to be _good_ the way the Doctor wanted- and still, it had been the Doctor who had failed Missy.

Failing the Master once in that way had been more than enough. The Doctor didn't have it in her hearts to put her dearest friend through that again.

"Okay," the Doctor agreed.

The Master searched her expression for something more. He expected her to make some rousing speech, to tell him he was wrong, or at the very least, to convince him to rejoin the group- but she didn't do any of those things.

He was thankful and more than a little baffled when she only gave him a reassuring nod, her lips pressed together, and left him to his own devices.

The Doctor slowly headed back to her fam.

Is that really what the Master thought of this? That she was just desperately shoveling bucketfuls of water into a leaking container? Always trying to fill the gap in her but never able to do so before the container ran out and her efforts left her with nothing?

That wasn't at all what this was! These were her friends. Her _family_.

Yes, they wouldn't stay forever and yes, the world would keep on spinning once they were gone- but _right now_ they were her friends, her family, and they were _good people_. They made her and each other happy.

If she spent all her time falling victim to her mistakes and forcing away anything remotely good in her life then...

Then she would become as lonely as the Master, locked up in his unbreakable shell of rage and death.

She wished she could convince him to come around, to see that you can't plan for everything so you should make the most of what you have, moment to moment. She wished she knew how to explain all of it in a language the Master would understand- but instead she allowed him his space.

She didn't want to force him anymore. He had already made such improvement on his own that the Doctor didn't want to push him farther than he was willing to go. It was already a big step for him to respect the things that were valuable to the Doctor, even when he didn't understand them.

The _least_ she could do is respect his decision not to get involved more than he already has. For now, she should enjoy her friends' company while it lasted.

...Like she always did.

The Doctor contemplated this and attempted to make peace with her decision as she returned to the main room.

The Doctor was so lost in thought, that she didn't see the lights around her flicker out into darkness.

"What do you think that was about?" Ryan asked before shoveling another spoonful of food into his mouth.

Oh had sat at the table for a couple minutes, but then presumably left to go after the Doctor and the Master. It was only the three of them remaining.

Ryan dug into the huge meal prepared like it was going out of style. He pointed to another bowl for Yaz to pass to him, his mouth already full.

Yaz chuckled and found Graham very much the same.

It appeared to run in the family.

With both of them occupied for the moment, Yaz paused thoughtfully before replying.

"Maybe it's difficult for him," Yaz suggested, thinking back to a conversation she'd once had with him.

"Difficult for _him!_ " Graham said with a small gasp. "I'd say it's difficult for us trying to look past the fact of him almost wiping out humanity! Not to mention when he trapped us in that plane!" Graham pointed out while waving his fork about.

Yaz paused.

"I'm not saying any of that was right," she assured them,

"But if he's really used to seeing humans as insignificant, and now suddenly we're having dinner with him and the Doctor saying we're family, maybe... Maybe he realizes we're more than he thought we were."

The others fell silent for a moment.

"The Doctor did once mention that she never learned about humans until she came to Earth," Graham noted.

"Yeah, and I've heard her say: 'No humans on Gallifrey'," Ryan added, "like it was a rule. And she hates rules."

They exchanged a few nods in agreement.

"And what's else-" Ryan spoke up again, "She said back home, they didn't have weekends, or teenagers- whatever that means. It wouldn't be much of a jump to assume people who called themselves 'Time Lords' might not see other species as important."

Yaz agreed enthusiastically.

"Exactly. And he's always talking about his games with the Doctor. He does what he does to get her attention."

Graham nodded thoughtfully.

"What are you suggesting? We play a game with him? Something he would understand?"

Yaz hummed.

"I don't know. But think about it. He hasn't tried to kill us, and he hasn't pretended to be O. He's just been himself. Maybe... we have to show him that we're not so different?"

Graham wiped his mouth off with a napkin.

"The Doc said he likes murder mysteries! With detectives and spies and hitmen, with dreadfully accurate murders. I recommended a few, and the Doc's said he's been reading them," he suggested.

"That's certainly something," Yaz agreed cheerfully. "Maybe-..."

Suddenly the lights snapped off.

It was pitch black, darker than night. Even after their eyes adjusted, there wasn't much light to see by.

There was only a soft tapping sound through the still darkness. Like metal on ceramic.

"Ryan!" Yaz hissed.

"I still know where the food is! I don't want it to get cold!" Ryan defended.

Graham sighed. "I don't know where the fuse box would be on a spaceship," he apologized.

The light metal tapping started up again.

"Ryan!" Yaz hissed again.

"It's not me this time!" Ryan said through the complete blackness of the room.

The metal taps grew louder... and closer...

The mysterious sound was closing in on the table...

And then two little eyes lit up and a series of cheerful beeps directed their attention.

The humans let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Hi, buddy!" Ryan cheered happily, "Any chance you can tell us where the lights are?"

Oh beeped happily once more and then climbed from the table to the floor. He paused for the humans to abandon their table and follow him. Once he had their attention, he scurried off to lead the way.

The three humans quickly and carefully followed him into the dark...

"Fam?" the Doctor called.

Her Tardis was still active, pulsing a dim amber glow, but the room was dark and empty.

"Fam?!" the Doctor tried again with far more worry in her voice.

Still nothing.

"Every time! Even on my own ship! I tell them to stay put and they never do!"

The Doctor sighed and tossed her hands to her trousers with a loud joint clap.

"Maybe it's a game?" the Doctor then considered. "Or maybe they went to fix the lights! Yes, maybe. They have to be around here somewhere. They wouldn't have left already... would they?

The Doctor asked all of this out loud as she paced about the room. The food was still out and Graham's plate was still half-full. Their various coats were still hanging over the chairs, untouched which certainly suggested they were still around here somewhere.

Maybe they had gone looking for the Doctor... but that felt unlikely. She had only been a hall or two away. She would have heard them if they were looking for her.

Where had they gone? And why _was_ it so dark?

"Doctor?"

The Doctor spun around to see the Master approaching her from the dimly-lit hall. For a split second, her hearts leapt in her chest.

He... wouldn't do this, would he? Even he could never act this well. He could never be so heartless.

Even still... This had been his idea...

Inviting the fam over had been his suggestion from the beginning....

He had been the one to give the Doctor enough hope to keep her going in these difficult times.

Still. _Still._

The Doctor had jumped the gun once before. She had believed he would give her hope, give her someone to care for, only to take it away.

It had happened when he had been playing her favorite human: O. Why would this be any different?

This could easily be him. It could _easily_ be a set up to get rid of her friends once and for all. But... it couldn't be. He _wouldn't_ do that anymore... Right?

"Why are the lights out? Did the medical scan drain your ship’s resources that quickly?" the Master asked, oblivious to the Doctor's rising fears.

The Doctor clenched her jaw and let her expression become cold. She shoved down the tears threatening her eyes.

She took a sharp step for him and the Master instinctively raised his hands. He scanned her over, clearly calculating what was off about her stance.

The Doctor stopped cold in her tracks. The dim glow of the Tardis lighting flickered across their faces, too low to get an accurate reading on either of them.

The only thing the Master was holding was a book. One from the series Graham had suggested for him.

The Master looked over the Doctor upset expression and watched her eyes drift to the book. The Master lowered his hands and looked down at the red and purple cover.

"It's... a short novel, between book five and six, a limited edition," the Master explained slowly. "I... thought I would give it to Graham. As a gesture of good faith. I don't believe he's read it yet and... it would give us a commonality to discuss."

The Master's words were simple and innocent.

His head tilted slightly at the sight of the Doctor, unable to understand why she looked so upset and nearly furious by this action.

"Tell me you didn't do this," the Doctor requested quietly with an aching heart.

The Master blinked and then he looked past her to see no one else at the table through the dark. The Master's lips parted gently as he stood up more firmly.

"Oh," he breathed out, his eyes deeply saddened as his lips trembling.

He looked terribly hurt by the Doctor's assumption. Pained to know that even after all of this- all this time, everything they said or shared- she would still ask him that.

And it especially hurt, because it was only fair for her to ask. She had never before known when or how the Master would betray her, and if the pattern was anything to go by, then this time around was no different.

The Master passed her, slowly, if only to buy a few seconds to get all of this through his mind and collect himself.

He gently set the book at the edge of the table and then turned thoughtfully to the Doctor.

"I suppose it doesn't matter what I say- Now does it?" the Master answered without answering at all. He continued,

"If you don't know the answer to that by now... then..."

The Master shook his head softly.

He pressed his lips together for a moment and pushed the rest of that sentence away.

"For what it's worth- and I know it isn't worth much.... no," he said with a firm nod, "Whatever this is, it has nothing to do with me."

He then gave the Doctor a simple nod, that was nearly a small bow, and turned away. His fists locked tight as he stormed out- but he didn't say another word.

Suddenly, the Doctor was alone.

The Master liked the Tardis engines. Their white noise gave him something to hold onto when his walks pulled his mind from reality.

This time, he was there to turn the lights back on for the Doctor's sake before he disappeared again.

This section of the ship was a well-worn path for him. It passed by the large platform that divided up the Tardis's immense power to various systems: one of which was the lighting.

The Master drew up numerous theories on why the lights were out to keep himself focused on the task ahead. The lead being: that perhaps the Doctor's constant disrupting and reconnecting equipment had caused a Tardis fuse-equivalent to blow. Whether he was correct or not, he couldn't yet say.

The Tardis never spoke to him, in fact he was quite certain the Doctor's Tardis still hated him. Tardises were known to be temperamental and notorious for holding grudges; which was why Time Lords were trained to _command_ them, not _befriend_ them as the Doctor did.

She always was the odd one out.

And now the Master knew why.

Everything they had grown up learning was a lie. Perhaps that one was as well. What else had the Doctor been right about?

And now the Master was already thinking about the Doctor again.

There had certainly been a time when the Master would do anything to make the Doctor's life hell.

That time had been most of his life, in fact.

He would have done anything for her attention, sacrificed any number of useless humans just to play a game of good and evil- but that wasn't true anymore. The Master had said as much. In return, the Doctor had promised to learn to do right by him and so the Master had laid down his arms- all for her.

All of that... and she still assumed the worst? At the first sign of trouble?

He supposed it was only fair after everything he had put her through.

The Master huffed and shook his head to clear it. It was a nervous habit at this rate. He went from silent to furious easily in this body, and red hot vengence to ice cold just as fast. He did his best to quiet down that part of him for the time being- but it didn't take.

He couldn't help but scold himself.

Maybe he had been right the first time. Maybe it was best for everyone that he kept his distance before he snapped and broke everything they'd rebuilt once again. Like a child... crushing their own sandcastle just so no one else could.

He would never break all of this intentionally but... that just seemed to be the way these things went. He should know better than to think something like this could last anyways. Maybe he should own up to what he is....

What even is he anymore?

He approached the engine room, which wasn't so much of a _room_ as it was the walkway that led to a platform which housed the Tardis's core functions.

It burned a bright, whirling blue from below. Anyone who went over the railing would certainly fall to their death; zapped out of existence unlike anything more than a moth struck by an overheating bulb. It couldn't be boxed off or it would overheat, so instead, it was just a terrifying exposed section of the ship that very few visited.

The engines hummed their constant whirl below and their blue glow illuminated the room up through the metal grating underfoot. The Master kept a hand on the rail as he followed the hall to where it opened to the walkway.

"O!" Yaz called. Cheerfully? No. _Relieved._

The Master picked up the pace and stared across the thin walkway that connected the opensided hall to the center platform directly above the exposed engine swirling away with color.

The Master's eyes widened to see the three humans standing in the middle island.

"Don't worry, lad," Graham said as he pressed something on the large semi-circle of control panels that lined the central platform. "Your little pal is helping us fix these here lights here for the Doc!" he explained cheerfully.

"Lad?" the Master echoed quietly. But that wasn't important right now.

The Master stepped up to the entrance of the walkway which was a small bridge with high bars lining either side.

"You three can't just-" he began angrily.

The Master took a step onto the bridge, and then stopped.

"It's alright," Ryan called reassuringly across the gap.

"I was worried too, but Yaz tested it," he promised the Master.

The Master's eyes narrowed slightly as he examined the situation.

Something about this still felt... wrong. If the lights were out because of energy depletion, then the engine would be suffering too. Still, it appeared fine. As if the electricity was still flowing and it was simply the light switch that had been turned off.

Something didn't add up.

The Master stomped on the edge of the bridge.

Sure enough, the entire bridge immediately fell away instantly.

The metal sheets that made up the flooring, the bars lining the sides, the tight bolts and hinges- all gone.

The entire structure was sent spiraling down into the dangerous blue glow and gone from existence in an instant.

Ryan quickly stepped back from the edge and grabbed onto the nearest control panel for stability.

The Master watched as Oh's tiny metal body climbed up the side of the platform....

"Don't touch anything!" the Master hissed sharply in warning.

The gears that had been spinning in his mind finally locked into place. All at once, he realized the painful truth- but he was too late.

Graham pressed something and the glow of the room shifted from a gentle blue to an unstable purple.

The Master took a few steps back- just to be safe- as an upsetting wave of heat blew from the core.

"Young man!" the Master shouted across the open gap.

Oh chirped happily and climbed up to sit himself on the large console.

"Young man?" Ryan mouthed to Yaz. Yaz simply shrugged.

The Master pointed angrily to Oh.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Graham still appeared confused by this.

"Sorry! I pressed what your little friend here said to," Graham explained, "but I might be in over me head."

The Master took a deep, furious breath.

"It's not your fault," the Master promised him with seething fury, "Oh appears to have his own agenda."

"What?" Ryan gasped. He then glanced over the side, to the engine turning a bright and fluctuating purple beneath the island he was now trapped on, and then back to Oh.

"I thought we were friends!" he asked Oh sadly.

Oh's cheerful eyes turned an angry red and Ryan cautiously backed away to the center of the suspended island.

The Master paced slowly along the railing that divided the hall from the scalding Tardis engine.

"Oh, so help me you will listen to me," he scolded Oh across the deadly gap, "you will return the humans or I will take you apart: piece by piece!"

Oh simply sat himself down and beeped in a clearly confused noise.

"I'm sorry," the Master laughed in a deep bitter way, "Which part wasn't clear? Return the humans! Now!"

Oh chirped again and replayed an audio file.

It was the Master's own voice, from earlier that day.

The Master visibly flinched at the sound.

"I've told you before, my dear, your job is to look out for the Doctor," Oh played through his speakers.

The Master's expression immediately fell cold and he paused. He blinked to himself and straightened up as he processed this.

All at once... he understood.

"This... _is_ my fault," the Master said quietly.

The Master stayed silent for a long minute.

He stayed silent even as the Doctor finally joined them.

The Doctor was relieved when she finally caught up- even if she wasn't all that happy to see her fam inexplicably stranded over the Tardis engine. The room was getting uncomfortably warm as well. What was that all about?

"What are you doing over _there?_ " the Doctor called to Graham, Ryan, and Yaz in confusion.

"Sorry, Doctor!" Yaz called in return, "We thought we could fix the lights!"

The humans appeared to be handling this quite well, but judging by the unstable colors of blue and purple and red below, they wouldn't for much longer.

With the engine destabilized, the room would only continue to get warmer and they- humans and Time Lords included- needed to get away before it reached harmful levels.

The Doctor's face lit up as she realized the Master was already there.

"What happened?" she asked him, as lighthearted and curious as ever.

Her optimistic grin quickly fell away as she approached the Master. He remained quiet and didn't turn to look at her as she approached him. His eyes were flickering about rapidly, as if he was trying to calculate something.

The Doctor's eye caught Oh on the other side with the humans.

"Oh! You're already over there!" the Doctor cheered. "Press the button for the emergency walkway!"

To the Doctor's surprise, Oh spun his little head back and forth.

"What do you mean 'no'?!" the Doctor replied. Her face scrunched up in worry.

"Press the button for the bridge!" she said as if the solution should be obvious.

Oh shook his head 'no' once more.

"Oh, these people are our guests!" the Doctor scolded him, "What do you think you're doing over there?!"

Oh leapt up and projected a screen onto the wall. Yaz, Graham, Ryan, and the Doctor all turned to watch.

The Master barely lifted his head.

He already knew too well what Oh was thinking....

"Oh, hello, my dear," the Master's voice hummed ever so warmly. He sounded... kind.

The Doctor recognized that line immediately. The Tardis had played it for her back when the Master was swiping parts for an undivulged project.

"She's going to love you," the Master's smooth voice purred.

The Master was sitting at a table with plenty of scrap, telling Oh the very first words he would ever hear. The Master looked a little sad and worn, yet so warm and cheerful.

The video flipped to the next clip:

"I think I'll name it Oh," the Doctor grinned with a bright, humorous smile.

They were in the Doctor's room, with O looking up at the Doctor from the floor.

"Hey, Oh," the Doctor's soft voice rang joyously. Her words were answered by a unique, equally-excited series of beeps and chirps.

The first time they'd met.

Next to each clip was a monitor with a line that fluctuated at a steady rhythm. Calculations being run.

A new clip:

"I can't believe I'm suggesting this..." the Master began.

He paused.

The Doctor and the Master were in the library, a little while before Halloween.

The Doctor lifted her head and turned to him but the Master bit his tongue for a moment more.

"Hypothetically, your Tardis has the technology to check for carriers of the disease right? So we could always... extend those sensors to the outside. And if your human pets-"

"Friends," the Doctor corrected as usual. The Master continued unaffected,

"-happen to be safe we could invite them into the foyer. Have a small... Christmas... celebration... in there."

"I do know how you love your human holidays," the Master forced himself to sound lighthearted.

The Doctor's eyes glistened with a thousand new ideas. Her expression shifted and her hands waved about wildly as she took his idea and ran with it.

"You're right! If I can somehow patch the internal sensors through the external scanners then I can upgrade the short range with the same accuracy as the Tardis's interior health readings!" she theorized. Her hands gestured about energetically, as if she was holding something invisible in front of her and actively putting it together as she spoke.

"It might just work. Although I'd need to be careful when adjusting the readings for the same disease in humans. And make sure their different biology won't interfere with the scans. I'll need time to fine tune it... What day is it? No matter. New project! Oh this is so exciting!"

A different clip:

"Stop that! I take it back-" the Master protested childishly.

They were in the rainforest this time, if the video was anything to go by.

He stood up quickly and turned to her. His book snapped shut in one hand and his other hand gestured about.

The Doctor laughed, equally as childishly.

"That's so sweet of you-"

"'Sweet' is not even on the table right now! Absolutely not!"

"Come on, Master. Look at him!"

The Master turned to see Oh's tiny eyes pleading as much as his tiny screen could allow him to. He chirped happily.

The Master refused to be convinced.

"No! This isn't a 'kindness'! I made him for you. To help you. He's your... pet or whatever the word is for the people who follow you around the universe. Don't start making this something it isn't!"

The Doctor finished her work and shut the panel louder than she'd meant to.

"What I have are friends," the Doctor said a bit too sharply, "and you're welcome to be their friend too if you would just give them a chance. They're a lot smarter than you give them credit for."

The Master's fists closed slowly and tensed.

Another clip:

The Master was sitting in a chair in the next one, his back turned to Oh. He sounded upset, furious even.

"Hurt her? I don't _hurt_ her. I spend my time arranging our favorite games of good and evil on her favorite planet. I keep our minds sharp against the agonizing boredom of this universe.

As far as _hurting her_ goes," the Master's jaw clamped down more with each word, "you humans hurt her far more than I ever have! I won't allow you to insult me over things you clearly don't understand."

The line next to it began to fluctuate even more, the beat quickening with each clip.

Oh skipped ahead:

"It's not easy for us," the Master found himself admitting.

He couldn't look at her as he spoke. There were too many old images welling up to his eyes. "Where we come from, Time Lords died maybe once every ten millenia. Here, you humans drop like flies. Which is why I can not _fathom_ why the Doctor bothers with you three," the Master admitted.

"You'll be gone in what? 60 years if you're lucky? Or maybe 6 years. Maybe 6 months. With the Doctor around, you'll certainly leave even sooner.

I'd bet on another year or two of adventures at most. Then you leave, and the Doctor will mourn, and at some point; she'll have to drag herself back together and start all over.

It's just like her... to get _sentimental_."

Another small skip:

"It'll hurt. When they're gone. It'll hurt less if you keep your distance," the Master told Yaz.

The next was from only this morning:

"Yes, of course they'll love _you_ ," the Master grumbled to Oh as he finished arranging the food for the evening.

It was Christmas after all, so he- and the Tardis and Oh- had cooked more than enough food for the five of seven life forms who _were_ capable of eating.

"You're a cute little robot. I purposefully made you pleasant and helpful. The humans will take to you without a doubt," the Master explained.

He sighed and paused briefly, something haunted in his eyes.

Oh chirped to get the Master's attention when he fell silent.

The Master shook his head and gave a small, but forced laugh. He spun about and fell into the rhythmic movements of one of his usual performances.

"It's alright, Oh. The humans won't be happy to see me if they know what's good for them- but that doesn't matter. I've told you before my dear, your job is to look out for the Doctor. You do your job and I'll do mine."

Oh bobbed himself in his own little way of saying 'yes'.

The Master smiled at that.

"Good. Now let's go help the Doctor prepare."

Oh leapt down from the counter and scurried ahead as the Master picked up a tray of food.

The Last One. Audio only. It was cut up from what the Master had said mere minutes ago:

"You...

had a family and...

failed them. You can't just make another. And especially not out of _humans_. They look like us, but they die _so much faster_.

...can't do that.

...can't... try... to replace them, constantly _running_..."

Then Oh stopped.

O repeated one last piece in the Master's voice- as if finally answering the Doctor's question of what he thought he was doing:

"My job," Oh repeated.

The Doctor stared. She was baffled.

"I don't understand. What do you mean it's your job? You were made to help people, Oh! Not to hurt them! And certainly not hurt my fam!"

The Doctor pressed her hands to her hips and scrunched up her nose as she willed herself to find the answer.

The Master sighed and finally spoke.

"I understand," the Master shook his head and raised his fists to his head in frustration. Then he threw them down again, cutting through the air harshly until they hit the railing.

"I made him for _you_ , Doctor. I taught him that his job is to take care of you."

The Master shook his head again and paused, "This is my fault. I led him to believe that the humans would hurt you.

Oh scans us on occasion. It's a work in progress- so he can understand how to help if you ever were to need first aid. Thing is, we've confused him. My... worry, and your excitement- he's misinterpreted it. They're very much the same, physically. Elevated heart rate, sweaty palms, nervous habits- it's enough for him to confuse the two."

The Master gestured out across the gap, "Therefore, he believes these humans are a threat to you and... so he's doing what he believes he should do: get rid of the threat."

The Master let out a low growl of fury before speaking again.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, I swear."

He clamped down his hands into fists around the metal railing.

"I tried to help and only made things worse. This is exactly why I didn't want to get involved- I didn't want to ruin things- and now I _already have_ ," he admitted in defeat.

The Doctor moved to stand in front of him and put her hands at his shoulders.

"It's okay."

The Master shook his head and gestured across the gap to the humans.

"It's not! Unless you like barbecued human that is," he sighed.

The Doctor dropped her hands.

"Yes. That is a problem," the Doctor agreed. "But you couldn't have known he would do this. This isn't your fault-"

"I made him," the Master sighed. "And then I- albeit inadvertently- taught him that anyone else who gets close to you will hurt you in the end. And you can't stop him because..."

The Master took a deep, frustrated breath, "Because he's not wrong...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When ur tiny robot son misinterprets your fear of losing those you care about as a threat and decides it best to kill your best enemies found family :/  
> Am I Right /j
> 
> Guys you have no idea how long it took me to compile a cohesive summation of Oh's character arc from clips lmaooo  
> I still can't decide if this turn of events is genuinely clever or just REALLY cheesy please let me know lol


	26. Holidays with Family (3 of 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continued

Yaz cupped her hands to her face and called across the gap.

"What's the deal, Doctor?"

The Doctor leaned over the railing.

"Oh thinks you're a threat," she explained simply. She didn't want to scare them. There was no reason to be scared. Not yet, anyways.

Yaz appeared confused.

"We're not! We'd never hurt you, Doctor! Can you just tell Oh that?"

The Master stepped up and shook his head, matching the Doctor by leaning against the rail on the other side of where the bridge had once been.

"It's not that simple. He thinks you're a threat because he knows that when you leave..."

The Master paused. He could feel the Doctor's eyes staring into him, but he didn't turn to look at her. He didn't want to see her disappointed in him like this.

"When someone leaves, it always hurts the people they leave behind. You'll leave one day too...."

The Master's eyes fell away again. He couldn't bear to look at Yaz either.

"And when you do, it will hurt the people around you. Oh appears to believe that this is a better solution. To get rid of you now and ease the repercussions."

The Master sighed.

"And you can't lie to him either, he can tell from your heart rate. Sorry about that bit," the Master attempted to joke dryly.

It was met with silence.

Yaz looked down at Oh.

He scurried out of any of their reach. The tiny robot was clearly willing to let his hostages bake to death for the good of his mission, at any cost to himself.

Yaz would almost admire his loyalty if not for the present situation.

Yaz had spoken with the Master, _properly_ the Master, not O, and had learned some things about him she would have never guessed were possible.

The first being that he wasn't just a larger-than-life villain.

He was a real person, who had lived many complicated lives. He's had to bare pain unimaginable to Yaz and inflicted even more of it in return.

Yaz knew all of this, and still- she was certain that if the Master would just be honest, he could fix this whole situation.

"We'll just have to tell him the truth then, won't we?" Yaz shrugged with a small smile.

The Master picked his head up higher at the sound of her voice.

"What do you mean?" he asked, surprisingly patient.

"We have to tell him what happens in life," Yaz elaborated, "You meet people, you lose them, and there's rarely anything more you can do about it."

"Bit grim, Yaz," Graham noted.

Yaz frowned and leaned back against one half of the large control station that lined the platform.

"It is... but you can't tell me that this holiday season you're not thinking about the people you wish were still here," Yaz suggested gently.

Graham and Ryan both looked to the floor.

There was a long minute of silence.

"The holidays are meant to be shared with family," the Master spoke up. His voice was a bit quiet, but still loud enough for everyone to hear in the echo-y room.

He took a deep breath.

The Master could feel the Doctor's eyes burning into him as he continued.

"I know... how much it hurts when you lose that.

So... _perhaps_... I wrongfully assumed it best to prevent being part of a new one," the Master admitted, "so I would never have to risk that pain again."

He paused.

"Everyone gets to decide who they allow into their life."

The Master's eyes flickered over to the Doctor.

"Everyone has to weigh the good and the bad for themselves. And maybe... maybe missing them when they're gone is a small price to pay for having gotten to know someone at all."

Ryan took a seat on the floor, one arm on his knee, and spoke up. His eyes stared at something far in the distance.

"I still miss my mom," he admitted solemnly.

There was a brief second of silence.

"Good woman, his mum," Graham confirmed, "and Grace. And my folks. And _many_ friends...."

The Doctor nodded slowly and expanded the list, "My family, my home, all my friends on Earth, everyone I've lost."

"Sorry again- about some of that," the Master joked tastelessly.

"Gallifrey had it coming," the Doctor breathed without missing a beat.

There was a long moment of silence, as if out of respect, and the Master silently added the people he had failed to the list. Especially the family he hadn't been able to save. Especially his daughter.

"See, Oh?" the Doctor then addressed the small robot who was still settled on the control panel atop the suspended island, observing all of this.

"That's why us living people need each other. We're all the family we've got left. We need to take care of each other and keep moving, to keep filling our lives with more good things than waste our time starving off the pain that follows.

'Tiz better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, as they say," the Doctor chuckled mildly.

It immediately lightened the mood.

"Respectable man, that Lord Tennyson," the Doctor said thoughtfully. "Now that's a man who could say a thing or two about family!"

Her lighthearted reference to yet another famous historical figure slightly lifted the mood.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a small engine. A sturdy platform unfolded itself from the middle island to the mainland of the Tardis. A platform with high rails on either side slid across the gap and locked into place, piece by piece.

The Doctor quickly raced across it without a second thought.

She passed her fam and danced her fingers over a keyboard on the control system.

Oh leapt up on her shoulder and chirped away.

"You're still in a _lot_ of trouble, Mister!" the Doctor scolded Oh lightheartedly. Oh shied away, but didn't appear all too upset.

"You're lucky it's nothing I can't handle," the Doctor told Oh, "but we're going to have a very serious conversation later."

The engine beneath them slowly restored its usual peaceful blue haze as the Doctor restabilized the engine. The room began to cool off again in direct response.

Yaz was the first one back across the new bridge- to test it's safety- and then returned to make sure Ryan made it across okay. Thankfully, the railing on either side of the walkway was a huge help. Graham quickly followed.

Once the engine was stable and everyone was across, the Doctor returned to the main section of the ship to rejoin the others.

"Sorry about that, fam!" the Doctor apologized with a cheerful smile. "Sometimes even robots have to learn a thing or two about ethics and morality! It won't happen again!"

The Doctor picked Oh up off her shoulder and held him up.

"Will it, Oh? Have you learned your lesson?"

Oh bounced his body as a way to nod that, yes he had, and the Doctor returned him to the floor.

"It's alright, Doc. It wouldn't be the first time a robot's held us hostage," Graham chuckled.

"Yeah," Ryan agreed happily, "It wouldn't be a proper holiday without something going wrong anyways!"

The Master continued to stare into the blue depths over the side of the railing.

When he was purposefully evil he failed, and when he tried to be good, he ended up with the same result.

Worst of all, a part of him _had_ hoped that the humans would be killed and he could spare himself the trouble.

If they were dead... then he could move on without giving it another thought.

Was that wrong? To think that Oh's logic did hold some merit?

As long as these humans were around, he feared getting attached to them. One day they would leave not only the Doctor, but himself as well. And it would hurt him too.

They would join all the other names that ached deep in his hearts. He would live to see them die. He would live to see those the Doctor chose to replace them die too.

And even if they survived their adventures with the Doctor, they would go home and be gone from his life forever. It was almost the same as dying, in a way, to be abandoned like that- over and over again.

All the Doctor's talk, all she had learned about love and loss, but the Master wasn't certain he could be like her. He would still rather keep himself distant enough that he wouldn't have to feel that pain of losing someone you care about all over again.

He always was stubborn.

To his surprise, Yaz approached him.

The Master had been standing with his arms over the railing, but he stood up properly at the sight of her.

Yaz and Ryan and Graham- the Master now understood- were far smarter than he had first assumed. They were self-aware, quick learners, and deeply understanding.

They would indeed make valuable alliances if he was willing to risk his hearts to get to know them. To _properly_ be their friend.

He was now teetering on the edge between the two.

Between deciding if it was worth the pain to stay, or to shield himself and leave.

To the Master's surprise, Yaz stepped closer and pulled him into a hug.

It felt... strange.

The Master couldn't actually remember the last time a human had hugged him. It must have happened at some point, but nothing came to mind.

Yaz's arms pulled tight around him. At first he was slightly panicked by the feeling, but he quickly realized that she posed no real threat.

After a few seconds, he reached his own arms around her as well.

He was careful not to hug her too tightly in return.

"I know people deal with things differently," Yaz said quietly, so that only he could hear, "and one day: I'll miss having the Doctor in my life too. But I think that losing her will be well worth all our adventures. I count myself lucky to get to know her at all- and one day, I'll use the pain of missing her to make myself better. That's all I _can_ do."

Yaz paused and then pulled away.

"So what do you say? Will you come celebrate the holiday with us? Or do you plan on being alone forever?"

Yaz pulled away and the Master scanned over the faces of each of them.

They looked so willing to look past his betrayal. Past the planet of smoke and ash they had seen first hand. Past nearly losing the Doctor because of him.

If the Master was in their place, he would never look past someone like himself. The Master only needed to touch a fire once to learn it would burn him.

If these humans knew what was good for them, if they knew the extent of what he had done, they wouldn't be asking him this.

And still... they didn't seem to care. They didn't even think to _ask_.

They were just _here_. Celebrating the holidays with the family they had chosen. And they were extending that invitation to the Master as well, should he be willing to accept it.

It didn't feel like it should be that simple... and yet it was.

The Master looked to the Doctor. She was usually the one being taken in by humans after all.

She was the sentimental one. The one who had befriended countless humans and lost them all.

The Master had always assumed she was an idiot for constantly inflicting the same pain on herself, over and over again, like it was some form of punishment.

However, for the very first time, the Master wondered if perhaps there might be another reason for it.

Perhaps having a family again... might be worth losing them down the line.

He had had a family once before after all, and while he was certainly not a better man after what had happened- he _was_ certainly a better man to have known them at all.

He was a better man to have had a family once and know the joys it brought him. He was better to have known some of the Doctor's friends and to know that they're still out there somewhere. Perhaps...

_Perhaps_ he could try out this family thing once more.

Perhaps- just maybe- he would find it to be worth his time.

The Doctor smiled at him, a firm, hopeful smile.

The Master let out a long breath.

"If I must. I suppose one evening won't kill anyone," the Master agreed reluctantly.

Yaz beamed at him brightly.

"Not unless you've got any more robots we should know about!" Graham joked.

"I do not," the Master promised with a small smile.

"Back to the food it is!" Ryan announced cheerfully.

The Master chuckled lightly as Ryan led the way.

"I'm glad you like it," he smiled.

"Wait, did _you_ make all that?" Ryan replied with wide eyes.

The Master smiled.

"77-plus consistent years on Earth, you pick up a few things," he confirmed, "Why? You couldn't have honestly believed the Doctor made any of it. She once spent all evening burning a single loaf of bread from one of Yaz's recipes."

"That wasn't my fault," the Doctor interjected as she fell into step at the Master's side. "The instructions were unclear!"

"If I recall correctly, _you_ refused to print out the proper instructions," the Master reminded her playfully.

"Even if I had, you wouldn't have been able to read them!" the Doctor pressed.

The Master grinned a tight, tooth filled smile. That was much more like their usual banter.

"Your handwriting is appalling!" the Master insulted even as he grinned.

The Doctor's lips broke into a playful smile.

"And yours is even loopier than a 17th century love letter!"

The Doctor playfully tapped her shoulder to his as they walked.

The Master chuckled and subsequently lost track of what he was going to say as the Doctor's hand gently brushed his own.

The group continued down the long halls back to the main room as the Master discreetly accepted the Doctor's invitation. His fingers caught hers in return and he slowly turned his hand to lock both of theirs together.

They soon returned to the same table as before and finished up.

The Master took a detour to the kitchen and returned with a plate of desserts.

As everyone chatted and indulged in bakery, Graham finally noticed a book at the edge of the table that hadn't been there before.

"What's this doing here?"

His eyes widened as he looked over the cover.

"Is this what I think it is? Doc, where did you find this?"

"It wasn't me, actually," the Doctor chuckled.

The Master gave a grin and a small wave.

"Hi."

Graham hesitated, but not for long.

"Goodness. I'm still not quite used to you."

The Master only grinned even wider until his eyes were partially hidden by his wide smile. He then dropped the expression entirely and shifted into a cold and flat disposition.

"It's to be expected. I'm a good actor," he joked with a smirk.

"Feeling back to your old self are you?" Graham asked.

The Master chuckled, barely above a whisper.

"I'll admit, I am. It was getting so dull without an audience," he beamed away.

He then shifted gears sharply again, back to a calmer expression. He leaned an arm on the table.

"You can take the book, if you'd like. I already read it and I'd love to hear what you think of it. I have several notes about the accuracy of the murders; but over all, the story is well done."

Graham's eyes widened slightly. He clearly wasn't certain how to read the Master's sharp mannerisms, but he was sure he would figure it out eventually.

"Thank you," Graham smiled politely.

"Are we doing gifts?" Yaz asked from where she had been taking another cookie from a nearby plate.

"I thought you said we weren't doing gifts?" Ryan asked nervously.

"I didn't think we were," the Doctor agreed.

Yaz chuckled.

"Sorry. Not gifts. It's just- Doctor, I made you something. It's nothing really," she promised.

"I'm sure it's wonderful if you made it!" the Doctor assured her.

The Master smiled. His brown eyes stayed warmly fixed on the Doctor's own cheerful grin. She reacted exactly as he'd predicted.

Yaz pulled a small box from her pocket. It was simple and tied shut with some ribbon.

She passed it to the Doctor who radiated excitement at receiving a gift.

The Doctor quickly opened it and gasped at the sight.

"This is awesome! It's just like mine!" the Doctor cheered, absolutely elated.

She took the small earring stud and chain cuff from the small box and set it up on her right ear.

"Now I have two!" she grinned.

Yaz laughed, "I'm happy you like it."

The Master spoke up again once the conversation made room for it.

"Regarding your previous question," he said with a heavy heart.

Yaz turned to him with a cautious smile.

"You asked what my favorite tradition was. I... would like to share it," the Master decided.

There was a brief pause.

"I'd love to hear it," Yaz promised.

The Master nodded and did his best to maintain his usual level of confidence.

"Back on Gallifrey, _ages ago_ \- before the Time War ever started, before I ever had any idea what Earth even was...."

He closed his eyes for a split second and took a breath.

"I... _had_ a daughter."

He quickly continued before the sentence could linger,

"And time is different there, so we didn't have annual holidays- but there were certain events that were celebrated at regular intervals. It's a similar concept."

He paused briefly to consider how best to explain. His hands waved about as he spoke.

"One of which was our summer solstice: the longest day of the year in which the binary suns lined up to produce the longest constant period of direct sunlight."

He did his best not to think too hard on the topic as he stared down an imperfection in the wooden table rather than the people he was talking to.

"There was always a big celebration, with food, games, music- all that- set up on this empty hillside."

He cleared his throat as his audience waited patiently.

"Everyone would bring something to share.

In preparation for that day, my daughter and I always made cookies that were shaped like animals. It was a simple recipe," he waved dismissively, "but we always made enough for everyone who attended so it would take all day. Still, for whatever reason, it was always her favorite tradition- and therefore mine as well. We made them every solstice, without fail.

It's... still a bit strange not to have that anymore."

He then added and straightened up in his chair, "There you go."

He was surprised to find understanding smiles on everyone's faces, and even more surprised as he turned to see the Doctor smiling sadly.

"You made those?"

"What?" the Master asked in surprise.

"In the blue container," the Doctor asked quietly. "I always loved those."

The Master chuckled.

"Yeah. Yeah... those were them."

"I thought you grew up together," Graham asked.

The Doctor nodded.

"We did. And went to school together. But then life happened, we had our own things going on. Drifted apart. Then the war."

"And you left," the Master added.

"It's a very long and complicated story," the Doctor surmised.

There was a melancholy pause.

"But anyways. We're here now. Back to the festivities?" the Doctor grinned hopefully.

No one could help but smile in return.

"Yes. Back to it," the Master agreed.

The rest of the evening was spent talking about the universe through an optimistic lense.

Yaz finally got to talk to the Doctor- face to face- and gave her lots of hugs. They were both huggers, it seemed.

Graham and the Master got into an interesting discussion over character arcs that ended with the both of them pulling on their respective reading glasses and citing specifics from books the Master had brought down from the library.

Oh reappeared and spent a while attempting to regain Ryan's trust. Ryan felt quite betrayed, but Oh apologized by taking him to the virtual reality room to play some games and eventually Ryan forgave Oh.

The group eventually gathered up again as the Doctor launched herself into a story about saving Earth on Christmas day as they cleaned up from dinner and boxed away the leftovers.

Yaz and the Master then brought down some things to make tea and hot coco. The Doctor- in usual Doctor fashion- put _both_ in her cup simultaneously.

"I'd like to make a toast," Graham said once everyone had their mugs together, believing himself the oldest and therefore responsible for a toast.

Everyone knew he wasn't, but he was the one most experienced with these things and no one had a problem with allowing him to take the lead.

"In memory of everyone we've each lost- this year and every other before it."

The Doctor pressed her lips together and gave a reassuring nod.

Graham continued, "And to everyone else, everywhere, who's still here and still doing their best. To everyone who gets through the day and makes it to the next one," Graham said, clearly a little sad, but still hopeful.

"And to family," he concluded.

He raised his mug out.

Everyone lifted theirs in agreement.

A warm echo of 'to family!' and 'cheers!' bounced about the cozy front room.

The Doctor wished her fam could stay longer- maybe long enough to have an adventure or two or three- but she understood that they had lives of their own to get back to. They each had other family and friends to care for and the Doctor certainly didn't want to stand in their way.

She hugged them and thanked them and gave them all sorts of practical gadgets that wouldn't exist for the next several hundred years as gifts.

The Doctor and the Master waved them goodnight- with varying levels of enthusiasm- from the doorway as Yaz, Ryan, and Graham began their journey home through the dusting of snow.

Once they were gone, the Doctor and the Master retired to a pair of chairs next to a nearby fireplace.

"Oh?" the Doctor called.

Oh scurried up onto the arm of the chair and the Doctor pulled him into her lap.

"Oh, I'm going to tell you a secret, alright?"

Oh sat himself down and chirped excitedly.

"Life... is difficult," she told him.

"It's going to be difficult for you too. You're going to see problems ahead of you that you won't be able to stop in time, and others that you won't see coming until it's too late."

Oh beeped sadly, but listened intently.

"You're going to make mistakes- and you're going to watch other people make those same mistakes too, and wonder why they had to learn their lesson the hard way. You're going to lose people, and when you do: it won't make any sense. You're going to do difficult things and realize they were actually easy- and try easy things and realize they're difficult for you.

You'll be lonely at times, and you won't know what to do- but through that all: you're going to get smarter. You're going to learn from every experience you've ever had. You're going to become something more than when you started.

And you know what else?"

O chirped questioningly.

"You're going to be okay. Good things will come around again for you, even when you don't believe anything good will happen again."

The Doctor patted his little head fondly.

"Today, I hope you've realized that you can't shove everyone else away thinking that will somehow protect you or the people you care about. Life is more than being good _or_ bad. Life is more than just being stuck in one place.

I'll be able to go adventuring again one day and you can come with us and see what I mean.

Life is strange and amazing and incredible! It's filled with wonderful people and beautiful sights and all sorts of things you would never realize are possible until you see it!

But you can't be scared of it, Oh. You have to take the good _and_ the bad. You have to know you can't save everyone forever and still try to do so anyways. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Oh nodded.

"And also no murder," the Doctor said sharply. "That should have been rule one!"

Oh chirped in agreement.

"Good," the Doctor nodded firmly, "then that's settled."

She looked over to the Master with a smile, but he didn't turn to look at her.

His expression was cold and distant as he stared flatly at the fireplace from where he was comfortably positioned in the matching chair.

"Are you alright?" the Doctor asked.

There was a pause.

"Me?" the Master suddenly asked. He looked up sharply to meet her eyes.

"Yeah, you. Are you alright?"

The Master shook his head slowly.

"You make it sound so simple. As if knowing the truth will make it hurt any less," the Master replied quietly.

The Doctor's smile fell from her lips.

She pulled Oh up onto her shoulder and then got up from her chair.

The Master had expected her to leave, but was surprised as she crossed the room to sit sideways across his lap.

She pulled Oh into her arms and to her chest, and pressed her side to the Master until her head rested on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry I accused you earlier," she said softly.

The Master reached his arms around her and locked his hands loosely together. The weight of her against him was surprisingly soothing.

"It's... fine. I understand," the Master said simply.

For a long minute, there was only the crackling of fire.

The Doctor shifted slightly so she could snuggle closer.

"Do you like my friends?" the Doctor asked softly.

The Master tightened his arms around her.

"Does it matter if I like them?" the Master chuckled.

A smile that showed the Doctor's teeth pulled at her lips. Her nose scrunched up amusingly.

"No. I suppose it doesn't. But I had hoped you'd like them. And maybe... when this is over... you might like to take an adventure or two with us."

The Master raised a hand to tuck the Doctor's head closer to his shoulder. He enjoyed the strange vibrations that ran through him when she spoke so close to him.

The Master considered this for a long moment.

He hadn't expected her to ask a question like that. He would have never even considered it possible back when this had all started.

Still, he could feel something in him shift at the mere suggestion of being fully and formally invited into her family.

It was a risk to say yes- but it might be a risk well worth while.

Was it bad that he was seriously considering it?

"One thing at a time," the Master replied.

He then quickly added with a small smile, "However, I suppose things _have_ been terribly dull this year. Maybe ruining Earth's history _alongside you_ would make for an interesting change of pace."

The Doctor grinned into his collar.

"I hate you."

"And I, you, my dear Doctor," the Master smirked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!!!  
> Sorry this isn't my best work lol. I feel I should formally apologize bc I can't believe how many people have been reading this fic. I think this is my most read fic ever and it's so strange?? This fic is literally just me working through my emotions there is very little planning involved, if any. And there's like barely anything happening ever lol. It's just mundane stuff.  
> Lol  
> Well, whatever the reason, I really appreciate anyone reading this at all. Thank you so much! <3  
> It seriously means so much to me. I couldn't even begin to explain. Just... thank you!!
> 
> Useless Commentary:  
> I'll try to keep this brief bc it's late, but I LOVE talking about my work lol so I'm going to indulge myself for anyone who's interested lol  
> First, I just want to say that I know this isn't my best work but it's literally Christmas and editing is really exhausting so this is as good as it's going to get for right now. I'm not 100% happy with the ending and I think the themes are a little on the nose- but I still like the story so oh well. Good job to me!  
> More than anything I just really love writing the Master and his character arc. It's getting blurry how many different variations of redemptions I've written for him, but he's just SO interesting to me.  
> He has such interesting motivations and his connection with the Doctor is so unique that I LOVE writing him.  
> Plus 'The Timeless Children' (which I know people have mixed feelings on) allows for such an interesting shift in their dynamic and idk I just love exploring that.  
> But more specifically, this portion is all about family- particularly the old grief and yet newness that comes with becoming part of a family all over again. I worked on a lot of my own ideas, but I did my best thing to make sure everything still works with the main plot points of the canon.  
> I'm... really tired but my point is that I love the Master's character and the idea of him finally becoming part of a family again. And that learning to see humans as his equals plus making peace with the Doctor pave the way to a really interesting redemption arc for him and if I continue this fic, that's probably the direction I'll go.  
> Or maybe once whatever tf is happening out in the world is over, I'll end this fic and start up a different au with the Doctor and the Master maintaining a similar dynamic but with more adventures? Or maybe something different entirely?  
> I haven't decided yet.
> 
> Well anyways. I hope you've enjoyed this story! Like I said, this au is literally just me working through some stuff I've been thinking about, but idk maybe it can someone else who's been thinking about similar things too.  
> I'm tired so: goodnight! And as always, thanks for reading.
> 
> Oh and Merry Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate at whatever point you read this lol <3


	27. New Year, Same Old Job Protecting Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some aliens decide to invade Earth on New Years Eve. The Doctor and the Master exaggerate a few small details to convince them to reconsider.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a lil something I tossed together.

There wasn't much on to ring in the new year.

No gigantic concerts, no times square festivities, and for once: no alien threats.

It was a strange change of pace for the Doctor- to sit inside with her best enemy, pouring matching glasses of champagne that neither would drink, and exchange stories of years past rather than battling some external force for the future of humankind- but she wasn't complaining.

They had set up chairs near in the viewing room, with a video compiling Earth's best concerts of the past decade playing on the large screen bolted to the far wall.

The Master was halfway through a story of a heist he'd once taken part in on Chinese New Year- which he insisted qualified as a 'New Years' story and therefore on topic- when the Tardis's main phone rang.

The Doctor pretended to ignore it for a moment, but her eyes never failed to flicker towards the persisting sound. When it immediately became clear that he had lost the Doctor's focus, the Master caved and insisted the Doctor take the call as she so _clearly_ wanted to.

The Doctor grinned and bolted up to chase down the landline built into her Tardis console in the main room down the hall. The Master didn't bother to run as he strayed after her out of curiosity and a lack of anything better to do.

The console room was the same as ever. Soft amber lights illuminated the dome of a room and the engines gave the occasional leisurely idle hum.

"Hello?!" the Doctor answered the phone excitedly.

The Master glanced down as he paced about to see a small biscuit offered from the glowing amber. He reached down to take it- but the Tardis quickly shut its tiny drawer and retracted the custard cream from his reach.

The Master locked his jaw shut and flashed a small switchblade from his coat pocket.

"Hello, is the Doctor there?" the voice on the other end requested politely. "It's a very urgent matter."

"That's me! What can I do for you?" the Doctor beamed.

The Master smirked at the exchange. If he had a nickel for everytime he'd run into the exact same assumption after his last regeneration-

"Doctor! Sorry, I didn't realize... Congratulations?"

the voice on the other end replied politely.

The Doctor only laughed warmly.

"Thank you!"

"This is Kate Lethbridge-Stewart," the voice from the other end continued. "There appears to be an intruding ship approaching- at least; that's what I can tell from the remaining UNIT systems. We need your help. Earth is in no condition to deal with an invasion this year."

"Kate! How are you?!" the Doctor greeted excitedly, her mind still a step behind as she realized she's never met Kate before- not this her, anyways.

The voice at the other end replied with a chuckle in her voice.

"I'm alright, all things considered. How are you?"

"Not too bad! We can get caught up later of course, sorry," the Doctor grinned. "Have you received any demands?"

"There does appear to be an incoming message, like an open line calling, but our systems don't have the ability to process it. UNIT is... currently going through some tough times as well."

"That's quite alright!" the Doctor beamed cheerfully. "Can you patch me through? I'm sure the Tardis can translate!"

"I'll do what I can. Just a moment," Kate promised.

The Doctor glanced around as she waited.

Her eyes landed on the Master- who was jimmying a knife into the Tardis console.

The Doctor covered the speaker with one hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

The Master momentarily abandoned the knife crammed into the slot as he straightened up.

"She's being rude!" the Master reasoned, gesturing to the Tardis controls.

The Doctor would normally be angry, but she simply smiled instead. The Master had called her Tardis 'she' after all!

But first thing first.

"I think there's an impending alien invasion. I'm about to negotiate with them," the Doctor explained.

"I assumed," the Master nodded. "What do you plan on telling them?"

The Doctor considered this for a moment.

"I could tell them the usual: that this planet is protected, to not interfere... But, actually...."

The Doctor grinned.

"I have a slightly more effective idea."

The Master lifted his eyebrows in surprise. A mischievous grin spread across his face.

"Do tell?"

The Doctor grinned even wider as a rough alien voice spoke through the phone in a series of clicks.

It roughly translated to "We are the-" before the Doctor abruptly cut them off.

"Is this the Shadow Proclamation? Please tell me it is!" the Doctor feigned deep concern.

The Master watched her, deeply infatuated by the ease of her performance.

"What? No-" the cutting voice on the other end replied in a baffled manner.

The Doctor continued her act of desperation and sprinkled in some impatience.

"Then what are you doing on the line! Don't you know there's a crisis happening?! Disease is spreading rampant! I need to get that new shipment of aid dispatched ASAP! What do you want!?! And make it quick!" the Doctor exaggerated.

The Master smirked and his eyes sparkled as the owner of the voice at the other end of the line squirmed.

"What?" they asked nervously. "What kind of crisis? We're here for Earth's resources-"

The Doctor quickly cut them off again. She continued to act absolutely appalled by the suggestion.

"Earth?! _Please_ tell me you haven't broken the atmosphere!" she exclaimed.

"What happens if we break the atmosphere?" the invading force's leader asked, his voice now betraying far more concern than when the conversation had begun.

The Master offered a hand and the Doctor passed the phone to him before she gave away the facade by laughing.

The Master pulled the phone to his face. He slightly turned away from the Doctor so he didn't start laughing himself.

"This is the Director!" the Master said in his most authoritative-sounding voice. "With all due respect, you'd be an idiot to expose your crew to this contagion! This entire sector is under quarantine!" he warned as one of his hands cut through the air. "Not even the Daleks would be dumb enough to invade a planet with this level of contamination!"

He glanced over to see the Doctor with both hands clamped over her mouth so she didn't burst out laughing.

"The galactic high council is already rounding up enforcements to block off this solar system before this disease takes out this half of the universe!

You can do as you'd like, Captain, but I can promise you- it's a death sentence!" the Master advised grimly.

The Doctor managed to compose herself and chimed into the background.

She put her sleeve over her face to muffle her voice slightly.

"Sir! We've lost the entire western unit!" the Doctor called in a fake voice. "All dead, as of 2 hours ago!"

"My stars no!" the Master kept up with the act as he slammed a palm to his forehead.

He then returned his attention to the call.

"So what'll it be?" the Master demanded impatiently. "I have things to do! Places to be! A crisis to manage!"

The lead invader quickly backed down.

"I'm so sorry! Thanks for the warning! Another day, perhaps!"

They subsequently hung up.

The Master made sure the call was ended on his end before he burst out laughing. The Doctor immediately joined him as she failed to keep her amusement contained for a moment longer. They laughed and laughed until they could barely breathe.

"Why haven't we tried that before?!" the Doctor asked as she gasped for breath through her laughter.

"He thanked me! He apologized to _me!_ " the Master exclaimed in return.

The Doctor and the Master held tight to each other's arms to support themselves as they exchanged another heavy round of laughter.

Once the Doctor finally caught her breath, she took the phone from the Master's hand. She swapped the line over to Kate's number.

The mischievous pair were still giggling away like schoolchildren after a prank call as Kate answered.

"Hello?"

"Kate!" the Doctor beamed.

"We've taken care of it. No invasions today. Do let me know if anything else comes up in the future!"

Kate chuckled with relief.

"That's wonderful! Thank goodness. What did they want?"

The Doctor laughed warmly.

"To drain Earth of its resources, same old same old, but they'll be on their way without a fight! Won't bother us for a few more years at the very least!" the Doctor promised.

The Master burst out laughing all over again.

"You should start using that excuse from now on!" the Master grinned, still high on the thrill. "Or better yet- We could _actually_ put a poison in the upper atmosphere-"

The Doctor cut him off, although she was still beaming away.

"Come on, Master! We agreed: no murder! Not even on invading forces!"

The Master grinned, wide and playful. He rested an arm on the Tardis's center column as he waved about his other hand to gesture as he spoke.

"A _mild_ sedative then! We can watch the ships crash down like shooting stars!"

The Doctor shook her head- although she was still in too good of a mood to be properly cross with him.

"The Master? You mean like... Missy?" Kate asked in surprise.

The Doctor put her on speaker.

"Hello, dear!" the Master grinned. He feigned a gentler, more polite nature, "Last we spoke, you'd made my best enemy the President of Earth. Any chance that position is still available? Is there a board of representatives I can speak with? Perhaps I-"

"He's joking," the Doctor promised.

"Not if there's a possibility!" the Master countered. He then turned more directly to the speaker as to address Kate, "A list of names should suffice-"

"Don't worry about him," the Doctor promised as she took the call off speaker.

"Happy New Year, Kate! Give me a call sometime, we can catch up!"

Kate chuckled warmly. "Happy New Year, Doctor."

The Doctor returned the phone to the console.

"Should we feel bad about lying?" the Doctor asked the Master curiously.

The Master blew out a small huff.

"Lying to save our own skin? I wouldn't lose any sleep, no," the Master waved, unconcerned.

The Doctor gave a nod.

"Fair point. It was in everyone's best interest I suppose. Still, I won't make it a habit."

The Doctor then pulled the Master's knife free from her console and shut the blade.

"You were saying?" the Doctor asked warmly as the Tardis released the drawer- the one the Master had been attempting to force open- of her own volition. The Doctor picked up the small treat, but then paused before it reached her mouth. She broke it in half instead.

The Master was innocently surprised as the Doctor offered him a broken half of the small cookie. He picked it up slowly and held it for a second in thought.

"I... was talking about a heist I was involved in. You still want to hear the rest?" he asked, not bothering to hide his surprise.

"Of course I do!" the Doctor smiled.

The Master popped the half-a-cookie in his mouth and quickly ate it before leisurely taking the lead back to the previous room.

It took him a few seconds to regain his confidence, but a small smile soon graced his lips once more.

"Well... I was just getting to the good part!" the Master energetically resumed his story. "Like I was saying: the group of mismatched thieves and I ended up being chased out the back alley- And found ourselves at the edge of the banks where the pyrotechnics were being set up! So you can imagine what happened next..." the Master grinned softly.

His tale continued as they returned to their seats. They barely noticed midnight pass as they got caught up in stories from years long past....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!!! You made it!! Amazing job!! :D
> 
> (I can't wait for the New Years special to air!!! Please don't comment any spoilers for the next 48 hours so I have time to watch it!!) <3


	28. Quite Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master gets some rest in the safest, most comfortable place he's ever known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo??? 3000+ reads????  
> My dear friends, you realize this is just a ridiculous way I work through my emotions- right?  
> Jeez, well, nevertheless- Thank you!! <3<3<3  
> I'm so deeply amazed that so many people enjoy my writing wow.  
> Seriously, thank you SO, so much.
> 
> Without further ado, here's some fluff just bc lol  
> I hope you like it :D

The Master shuffled closer from where he was already peacefully draped over the Doctor's figure. His lax body favored her left side slightly as his arms clung tight around her middle. The Doctor's own arms held him in return, situated comfortably across his upper back.

The Master's face settled slightly lower than hers, with his jaw resting just above the curve of the Doctor's collarbone and with his sleepy expression hidden against her neck.

His body rested blissfully cradled between the safety of the Doctor and the heavy blanket pulled protectively over him. In his unconscious state, his fingers had lost their tight grasp on the Doctor's clothes, but they remained entangled in the fabric. It was a comfort for him to keep some sort of hold on her, as if to reassure himself that she was still there.

The Master's eyes instinctually flew open as a sharp noise interrupted the steady flow of sound from a nearby computer. The Doctor had been watching a show on it- or at least she _had been_ when he had initially fallen asleep- and now that steady stream had changed sharply enough for him to notice.

The Master was dragged abruptly from his deep sleep at the intrusion. His fingers closed instinctually around the fabric once more and a deep grumble escaped his throat in annoyance.

He was not a morning person, and it was still too late into the night for him to even think of getting up. He was content exactly where he was and would not hesitate to rain hellfire upon anyone who would dare take this moment of peace away from him.

He shifted, but his exhausted muscles were no match for the heavy weighted blanket nor the Doctor's strong arms holding him in place.

He persisted for a moment- torn between figuring out the source of the interruption and staying where he was- until he felt one of Doctor's arms lift from his back. Her hand opened and her fingertips brushed across his cheek until her palm settled gently against the side of his face.

Her thumb grazed over his cheekbone and her fingertips fiddled with his hair for a moment. He stopped his half-conscious struggle and immediately calmed.

"It's alright," she promised him softly. "I'm just talking to Yaz. You can go back to sleep."

The Doctor's fingertips glided through his hair and ruffled it about, strand by strand. After a moment, the Master allowed her hand to guide his head to her shoulder.

He slowly relaxed once more against her, his eyes shutting, his fingers unlocking from the fearful clutches of fabric. His body settled.

He was more than happy to admit defeat if this soothing comfort was his compensation. There was no greater victory than being right here with the Doctor anyhow.

The Doctor pulled the large, heavy, galaxy-print blanket further over him. It's soothing weight pressed evenly across the Master's shoulders and the edge hid his face from the bright light of the nearby screen.

The Doctor's arms soon returned to their previous places, like an extra barrier of protection encircling him, as the Master allowed himself to relax.

The safety of the Doctor's guard was something this him had never known and he certainly wouldn't take this luxury for granted.

"Don't mind him," the Master heard the Doctor say as he began to drift off once more. "We made this obstacle course competition earlier! We had all this furniture set up-" before the Doctor's voice rose too loud from excitement, she cut herself off and added more quietly, in the direction of the laptop camera and therefore Yaz on the other end, "It's a longer story. Point is, he needs some rest."

The Master smiled a tiny, hidden smile into the Doctor's collar. His arms tightened around her as if to say thank you.

The Doctor fixed the edge of the blanket to better shelter him and ran her fingers through his hair for a moment.

The Master held her tight for a moment more before reality began to slip through his grasp. His fingers fell from their hooks and he allowed himself to fully rest, safely hidden away from the world.

It was easy to find peace when he was being safely held in the arms of the _second_ most dangerous person in the universe...

"It's alright. I promise," the Doctor whispered gently in a way that only the Master could hear, "get some rest."

When so many of their conversations historically relied on witty insults and grand battles of life and death- little things like this meant more than he could say. It meant the world for the Doctor to say it so honestly, to promise that he was safe. With only a few words, she immediately put his many fears to bed.

"You should sleep too..." he mumbled, blissfully content and barely awake. It took all his energy to come up with that single cohesive sentence.

The Doctor chuckled and ran one hand through the Master's hair so gently that he would have been embarrassed by her kindness if not for their solitude. No one else would ever know that she treated him this way- and, more specifically, no one would ever know that he _liked_ it. It could stay secret in the safety of this moment.

"I will. Don't worry. Go back to sleep," the Doctor promised warmly.

The Master didn't bother hanging onto consciousness any longer. He was exhausted and perfectly happy to comply.

"Goodnight," he whispered.

The Doctor chuckled fondly, "Goodnight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this kind of soft fluff helps me sleep tbh so here you go lol. I hope you like it too <3  
> This was originally going to be longer but I'm happy with this for now.
> 
> Just a little update:  
> Sorry this is such a short chapter. I'll attempt to get back to posting more frequently when I can. I've just been really busy lately and if I haven't been busy, I've been in a weird mood so not much has been getting done. But nevermind that!  
> I just want to say that I plan to continue with this story and thank you to everyone who's read any portion of it!!  
> It means a lot to me so thank you all! And thank you especially to anyone who has ever commented. It helps me so much to know that you all actually enjoy the things I write!  
> Just wow, thank you all for making this my most read fic thus far!!  
> I'm super tired so goodnight everyone and thanks again :D


	29. Learning Curve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Master realizes that, slowly and steadily, he's learning. All at once, his eyes are opened to things he never understood before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today I offer: character development.  
> Next chapter? Who knows!

Things are... strange.

The Master isn't suddenly good. He isn't suddenly fixed.

If anything, he was just a different form of his same old broken self.

He's still known to snap at people when he's upset. He's fast to lash out on instinct and drive people away when he feels trapped. He's still awkward at times and unknowingly harsh at others. He's never content with the way things are, he's never happy with the universe nor with himself.

Years upon years of his back to the wall, being used for the selfish gain of others, being disregarded the moment someone's tired of him... It's all left him with a lot of defense behavior to unlearn.

Still...

The Doctor is more patient with him now. He pretends he hasn't noticed- but he's noticed it.

When he's having a particularly upsetting day for no discernible reason, she'll let him have his space until he's processed things enough to talk about it.

And likewise, the Master tries to be better to the Doctor in return.

When she's excitedly rambling on and on about something she enjoys- even when she's clearly talking herself in repetitive circles- he listens. He takes an interest in what she has to say, even when he disagrees, and does his best to remember that the things that don't matter to him matter to her.

Slowly, the Master is learning that there's a great value in the little things. It's all the details that make up the big picture he's usually focused on after all.

What's more: he's learning that things that don't matter to him matter a great deal to other people. He's learning that even useless, trivial items can hold great value in the form of sentiment. Most of all, he's learning to understand how _other_ people see the world.

He's a creature hungry for knowledge after all. Even if he doesn't agree, he can still work the angles. Any form of new knowledge means he knows more today than he did yesterday and that's certainly worth something.

When the Doctor is on her calls with Yaz or Ryan or Graham- or sometimes all three of them at once- they say hello to the Master now. The Doctor invites the Master into frame so the humans can greet him and they address him like a friend.

The Master hasn't been on the receiving end of proper kindness like that in... a long time.

The Master often leaves soon after as not to intrude on their conversations, but it's during this window of time that he learns the most.

He observes that Yaz likes being home more often for dinner with her sister and parents. He listens to her tell them all how she's learning how to knit from her grandmother. She excitedly suggests that she'll try to make a scarf for the Doctor.

To the Master's confusion, the Doctor encourages this.

Which, by his usual logic, doesn't make any sense to him.

The Doctor already owns _rooms_ full of clothes. And- at any rate- how often does she even _wear_ a scarf?

Is another accessory- which doesn't have much of a practical use in the first place- worth several hours of manual labor? Wouldn't those hours be better spent on a more productive task? Or at the very least, a _less dull and repetitive_ one?

Case in point, the Master is learning that even if this item doesn't hold any significance to him- it means quite a deal to both the Doctor and Yaz. There's some unspoken value in the frivolous thing. As if, somehow, the very act of creating something is more important than what purpose the item serves.

And the Master is learning to... respect that.

From there, he's learning to apply this same concept to other things. This... abstract notion of respecting a thing or idea corresponding to the person rather than its level of practical use.

As another example: Yaz's job saving other humans also seems like a waste of her skills to him. However, it makes her happy.

Yaz sees it as a good use of her time. She feels that saving others is a noble purpose.

The Master wouldn't have made the same choice himself. He thinks that the best uses of time are the pursuit of knowledge, of invention, of a solution. He believes Yaz should be thinking on a bigger scale than helping a few people stay alive a few years longer than they would otherwise.

Even still, he learns to recognize that when Yaz excitedly talks about something- no matter how trivial he believes it to be- this said topic is important because it's important to _her_.

As the Master recognizes this, he inadvertently eases up on his criticism as a result.

When Ryan and Graham share a story of an old movie they saw on tv the other night- the Master doesn't give his own negative review despite greatly disliking the film himself. He realizes that the conversation isn't about it _movie_. It's about the fond memory of watching it.

It sounds basic.

It sounds like someone simply saying 'be nice'.

This is much more complex than that. This is learning _why_ people say certain things and act in certain ways. It's understanding people and their motivations in a way he hadn't known existed before.

He had grown up being taught that all of Time and Space were his to control- dare he decide to accept the responsibility. He had spent so long believing that his own people were far superior to any other forms of life. He had believed that he and the Doctor were living in a world made for them and them alone.

And now suddenly he was forced to see his surroundings for what they were. As if a barrier he had never known existed had suddenly been broken down before his eyes.

He saw people, with their own values, and their own ideas, trying to live in a world that _wasn't_ made for them.

This world _wasn't_ theirs. This was a universe _none of them_ were born to control.

It... was just the place everyone had to live in and all they could do was figure out _how to be happy_ with the often-terrible hand they'd been dealt.

The Master wasn't about to suddenly start caring about humans. He had no interest in changing his ways.

However, in future schemes, perhaps he would be more... accommodating.

Perhaps the numerous casualties of the occasional grand scheme were unwarranted. Most humans were just as powerless to change their circumstances as the Master had once been. Many of them hated Earth and the people responsible for making it such a cruel world to live in nearly as much as the Master did. He saw no reason to harm the many people who were currently trapped in a world they had no control over.

The Master was still broken but...

In a way, the Doctor _was_ healing him- just not the way she had intended when she'd originally offered it.

He was improving in the way people improve upon having positive influences. He was growing in the way people who travel realize there's _always_ more than what they think they know at any given moment.

He's becoming _better_ in a way he hadn't known was an option before now.

He'd always believed he had to choose between good and evil, the laws of home or running away, being the hero or the villain.

He was fine with being the villain. At least it was a role he knew how to play.

But... that wasn't all he was. It wasn't all he had to be.

He had never considered it before but...

Maybe he could become _more_ too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a short chapter of the Master reflecting on his own character development. For the first time, he feels safe and welcomed and loved all at once.  
> He finally has room to grow, and he's slowly learning how to do that- in his own way.
> 
> Sorry for such few updates this last month. I have been SO busy. Oh boy.  
> Once I figure out the next big plot point for this au, I'll be able to back on track with the story lol
> 
> I hope you've been doing well!! I know everything is a lot right now- it certainly is for me- but you'll make it through this! Promise <3


End file.
